slug-busters!

[Paul Wagland]

My anti-slug routine is a combination of:

1) Encouraging frogs, slow worms and hedgehogs - always have a pond, a log pile and a bit of 'wild' ground on your plot.
2) Placing beer traps near tender young plants - slugs are attracted away from the plants by the smell of the beer. Tesco value lager is very cheap and effective.
3) Planting a few extra plants just in case!

Snails are a problem in the garden at home, but my gf and I go out with torches when we get home from the pub and have a race to see who can squash the most!

[moggssue]

Heywayne - yeukkk!! I was looking for a reason to stop drinking beer, think you've just found it for me!!

Lavendarblue - I have tried beer traps and they work a treat. Trouble with them is, for me anyway, they don't catch enough slugs, fast enough!! But if you're in a fairly contained environment then they're definitely worth it, for me anyway.

[Glasshousevirgin]

Tried the beer traps Paul and yes they work to a point. Getting rid of the corpes is a disgusting chore tho.
Tesco larger well priced but not always all used on the slugs as have been known to crack a fresh one open on a hot day day on the allotment and slug half myself

[moggssue]

Being mates with the local pub landlord helps ... slops put to good use, and stops the temptation to drink them myself at home

[murray]

I have heard that a thickish kitchen tin-foil works as well as the copper tape. I've not tried this but if it works, it will be a lot cheaper!

[Glasshousevirgin]

It should shouldn't it.
All you are doing is setting up a potential across two points that then gives the little beasts a zap for deterrent value.
Are they like goldfish and forget soon after or do they get scarred for life and never come back - one hopes.

[jeannine]

Don't start using slug pellets. They appear to work (in a small area, in the short term) but they are a complete waste of money!

A hedgehog can eat its own bodyweight in slugs a night. It's true that you can prevent birds and hedgehogs from eating the pellets, but the slugs don't die instantly, some still move a fair distance after they've been poisoned and that's the problem.

All it takes is for a hegdehog or bird to eat slugs that have eaten pellets and you're reducing the natural predators - so you get lots more slugs! After cars, slug pellets and pesticides are the biggest hedgehog killer in the UK.

And did you know pellets contain stuff that actively attracts slugs to your plot? Or that some of the pellets also kill the ground beetles that eat slugs?

I've tried talking to the manufacturers of slug pellets and none of the ones I've asked have agreed to answer my questions in writing. (Unlike nematode companies who are only too happy to answer questions about their products because they know that they work).

Also, does anyone know how they carry out their tests to see if birds eat the pellets?

[Glasshousevirgin]

Are the supposed organic pellets any less harmful?
Are they effective?

[hawthorns]

as ive changed my plot to raised beds im going to use my old copper rings and fix them to the top edge of the raised beds so it should keep the slugs of the beds and protect the edge of the wood from the weather

[Paul Wagland]

I don't think the organic slug pellets are any better - they're mostly based on ferrous phosphate which is a poison accepted under organic standards, but it's still a poison and will still harm slug predators as much as slugs.

I know someone who used scrap copper pipe around the edge of his beds as you describe Hawthorn, but when scrap prices went up he flogged it all!

It's a good idea but beware the slug that tunnels, grasshopper....

[Paul Wagland]

Also, does anyone know how they carry out their tests to see if birds eat the pellets?

I talked to the public relations manager of a major garden chemical manufacturer about this last year, or the year before.

He let slip the phrase 'starvation testing' which doesn't sound like much fun for the birds.

Oddly he wouldn't put that in writing either.

[Tracey]

I put some adhesive copper tape around my wooden raised beds, but they came unstuck the next day. I then stapled it in place, so hopefully it will work.

[oldie]

This is my first year and I was using some old bookcases as raised beds. I found some unused roofing felt which I cut into 3" wide strips and stapled it round the sides. It seemed to work until it got very wet. I then plastered a mix of Vaseline and salt on it and that worked. I did not have enough for the other bed so I used 4litre milk containers cut in half lengthwise and used beer (Aldi). I also read that it was the yeast that attracted the slugs so I tried mixtures of yeast and sugar which was O.K. and also a strong brew of Marmite. This worked very well and enabled me to drink the beer.

[Paul Wagland]

Wise words Oldie.

To sacrifice beer or Marmite though, that's a tough choice.

[moggssue]

Wise words Oldie.

To sacrifice beer or Marmite though, that's a tough choice.

Not here it isnt - sacrifice Marmite any time and drink the beer!!