Are Brussels sprouts thinnings edible. (amongst blue slug pellets)

[joe the gardner]

Hello all, hope you are enjoying the May weather.

Just about to thin my brussels sprouts out. The plants are about 4 inches tall.

1. I am guessing the leaves are edible, BUT being quite close to the ground, where I have dotted blue slug pellets around, should I be avoiding eating the leaves because of the pellets??
2. How long are blue pellets active (i.e. poisonous) for anyway? And how harmful are they if accidentally dug into the ground?
3. If thinnings are OK to eat, what is your favourite way of eating the young leaves?
   
   

Thanks

[Martin H]

Yes, the thinnings are edible. Just make sure you wash them thoroughly to get any blue bits off.

I don't usually have enough to do anything beyond mix them with other salad leaves.

Can't answer the question about persistence of the poison, sorry.

[joe the gardner]

Thanks for that.

I normally don't use slug pellets, but really want some effective control this season. My understanding is that the birds, frogs and hedgehogs will eat the slugs that the pellets have killed and the poison then passes into the birds, frogs and hedgehogs ??

What I have done this year is net everything off that has been pelleted to stop the birds, frogs and hedgehogs getting near any pellets and dead slugs, hoping that is a compromise - what is all your experience?

[kathyd]

I only use the 'organic' ones now - I think they're ferrous sulphate or something? They promise not to harm the birds, frogs and hedgehogs if ingested... I'm also thinking of having a go at making my own slug nematodes this year, if I can collect enough slugs without giving them to the ducks

[Scoot]

I only use the 'organic' ones now - I think they're ferrous sulphate or something? They promise not to harm the birds, frogs and hedgehogs if ingested... I'm also thinking of having a go at making my own slug nematodes this year, if I can collect enough slugs without giving them to the ducks

I'm the same. I use the organic pellets for in the garden and the non organic for in the grow house where nothing can get at them.

[Two_Sheds]

You need a multi-pronged attack on slugs & snails, no one method alone will work.

- do patrols after dark, with a torch and bucket of salty water
- use organic pellets, but sparingly as per the instructions. You should never aim for a blue carpet
- plant seedlings out when they're a bit bigger, a bit tougher (slugs will eat the softest leaves)
- nematodes (grow your own http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ied_64107.html)
- I also use various slug hotels (slabs of concrete, stepping stones, planks of wood etc). They gather underneath, so all I have to do is turn over the hotel and put a pinch of salt on each slug