The ongoing fight against slugs !!

[Newishgardener]

I have an allotment and we are right next next to a communal orchard so we are getting a lot of slugs.

This year we are putting raised beds in we plan to put copper tape around the tops of the beds I am thinking about a few beer traps and maybe a few slug pellets as well oh and we are putting sharp gravel between the beds as well has anyone got any other suggestions for deterring slugs or have I about got it covered ?

Thanks

Justin.


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[PyreneesPlot]

Lots of places for frogs and toads to hide and can you adopt a hedgehog or two? Be careful with your beer traps as they can trap slug eating ground beetles, too.
Good luck!

[Penellype]

I've just watered the whole of my back garden with Nemaslug, which is nematodes which attack slugs. They are supposed to be effective for 6 weeks and are harmless to people and slug predators like hedgehogs (unlike slug pellets). I used these last year and didn't have too big a problem with slugs, although it is hard to tell as last year was relatively dry.

[snakeshack]

Buying nematodes or brewing your own will give better control, as it's been a mild wet winter this could well be the year of the slug. Nematodes are best applied when the soil is a little warmer and wet ( no probs with that then) and give good control for about 6 weeks. Although they may appear a more expensive option at first what you save on copper tape, pellets and beer ( I'd rather drink it myself) coupled with ease of application and results it's a no brainer


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[Kirk]

Lots of options there, only the best, fittest and most intelligent slugs will manage that assault course. And boy will they be hungry when they get through.

It's a bit like darwinian selection, you are removing the least able ones, so what remains will be the creme de la creme of the slug population . The most resiliant, intelligent and quickest of them all. Then these will pass their genes on to the next generation and next season you are really in trouble.

[RedThorn]

Search the forum, there's info about brewing your own nematodes.. And... Happy hunting, night time and a torch, doing the gardeners a patrol. Think of the theme tune of dad's army

[Chippy Minton]

Nematodes worked for me last year, but as said it was quite dry, even around here

However one other thing that has worked for me in the past, especially for seedlings / seed beds is wood ash, seems to be enough to put the blighters off until the seedlings are big enough to be eaten by cattypillys and pigeons

[Veggielot]

Fortunately do not have a major slug problem but have heard that you can use the half a grapefuit. You put it on the ground, after eating the inside, the slugs are supposed to crawl inside to shelter, you throw them away with the slugs inside.

[Newishgardener]

Buying nematodes or brewing your own will give better control, as it's been a mild wet winter this could well be the year of the slug. Nematodes are best applied when the soil is a little warmer and wet ( no probs with that then) and give good control for about 6 weeks. Although they may appear a more expensive option at first what you save on copper tape, pellets and beer ( I'd rather drink it myself) coupled with ease of application and results it's a no brainer


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The beer isn't much of a problem I brew my own so I was going to use the dregs from my fermenting bucket because I have been told that it's the yeast in the beer they mainly go for and the bits at the bottom of my bucket usually just get thrown away :-)


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[Newishgardener]

The general consensus seems to be Nematods I will check them out thanks everyone I dot want to be letting the crem de la crem through I might try barbed wire as well 😜


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[Newishgardener]

Lots of places for frogs and toads to hide and can you adopt a hedgehog or two? Be careful with your beer traps as they can trap slug eating ground beetles, too.
Good luck!

I like the adopt a hedgehog option is this possible lol ? Or do you just have to create somewhere for them to stay and hope they do ??


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[marcofez]

Brewing your own nematodes! Shall have to look into that!

[snakeshack]

Brewing your own nematodes! Shall have to look into that!

Not as tasty as the beer though


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[Newishgardener]

How do you brew your own nematodes ?? Is there a guide somewhere ?


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[PyreneesPlot]

I'd like to go down the nematode route here but it is often very hot and dry (and often not) but also we have a healthy and growing glow worm population who need slugs. I'd hate to find I'd wiped out my slugs and my glow worms!!

There are threads on here about growing your own nematodes. I'll have a furtle.

Beer dregs - I make pizza and brioche on the days after beer bottling