can I use organic slug pellets

[rary]

I was mixing some compost this evening and decided to add some worm cast to the mix, when I opened up my worm box I found four slugs in the box, which will mean there is a possibility of slug eggs in the worm cast, which could be transferred to my compost mix which I will be using to pot on various veg seedlings, so to remove the possibility of slugs in the future could I safely use organic slug pellets in my worm box?

[burnie]

I personally don't like using chemicals, what exactly is in "organic" slug pellets? Will it have an adverse effect on the worms? Will the chemicals have an adverse effect on you and your family? A lot of answers required before going ahead would be my watch word.

[no_akira]

The gelatinous slug eggs once exposed to the sun would soon dry out & die. The eggs cant slime away...

Even dead slugs are a form of organic matter...

[rary]

Burnie, the pellets contain Ferric phosphate, which apparently eventually turn to iron and phosphate, I was wondering if anyone had come across any scientific results of their use

[Jungle Jane]

Yes I was googling this,they use something called ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) with the ferric phosphate but it's not labelled as an active ingredient. The edta makes the iron phosphate toxic & earthworms have suffered weight loss in tests. The mixture causes something to happen in the slugs stomach & it looks like it effects worms in the same way. I was reading somewhere they want to remove the term organic from the product,I read all sorts of stuff but this is the main one it needs further investigation,I haven't got the answers I was looking for,it's never easy to find out the truth in one place,but at the moment I wouldn't use it from what I read.

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~so...tion%2028.pdf-
"Clearly, molluscicides containing iron phosphate and EDTA or EDDS chelating agents may present significant environmental hazards to earthworms, domestic animals and humans and these issues need further investigation. The registration statuses of these chemicals in USA and Europe should be reviewed in light of these new data and conclusions."

http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en/Reports/1478.htm

[rary]

Thanks Jungle Jane that's the information I was looking for, and from that I take it that I don't use this in my worm box, I note that no Makita says the Sun would kill off the eggs but if it mixed in the compost they wouldn't be exposed plus you need Sun, which is in short supply about here

[Jungle Jane]

I wouldn't rary this is the other place that said about removing the organic name-page 28-it doesn't sound good & they want EDTA mentioned as an active ingredient.
https://www.cornucopia.org/wp-conten...SB-Comment.pdf

[Bex2012]

Thanks Jungle Jane that's the information I was looking for, and from that I take it that I don't use this in my worm box, I note that no Makita says the Sun would kill off the eggs but if it mixed in the compost they wouldn't be exposed plus you need Sun, which is in short supply about here

How much compost do you have? Could you not spread it out on a sheet of tarpaulin in the sun and let it bake for a couple of hours?

[lzjohnson]

Have you tried copper/bronze tools?

Have you considered using copper or bronze gardening tools to deter slugs? I know ... it sounds a bit left of centre field, but I am doing a trial right now on my parsley, courgette and parsnip seedlings. At worst, it makes no difference & I have a lovely shiny new trowel. At best, it works - no more slugs, no need for pellets.

[rary]

Thanks Jungle Jane that's the information I was looking for, and from that I take it that I don't use this in my worm box, I note that no Makita says the Sun would kill off the eggs

The name above should have been. "no akira" it was auto corrected and I couldn't sort it once I had posted

[rary]

How much compost do you have? Could you not spread it out on a sheet of tarpaulin in the sun and let it bake for a couple of hours?

Apparently if the worm compost dries out it looses a lot of its potency

[no_akira]

You notice slug eggs are laid in batches, basically the moisture from each other keeps the eggs viable. Once you spread them about (disturbed) they soon die.

I wouldn't over worry it. As long as you've "relocated" the adults... ��