Slugs & Snails, organic advice needed!

[jeannine]

Hi all

I'm putting together a feature for the March issue of Let's Grow Veg (Grow Your Own's sister title) on different ways to deal with slugs and snails without resorting to the dreaded pellets.

If anyone has any good ideas and would like to see their words of wisdom in print, please let me know.

I'd love to hear more about crushed eggshells, copper tape, nematodes, beer traps, good slugs vs bad slugs (aren't there some that eat others?!!), pet hedgehogs, hungry chooks, moonlit snail-hunts and more.

Please let me know what has worked for you and what hasn't.

Also, thanks to everyone who very kindly offered fantastic germinating tips for the Tesco issue of Veg. I for one will never plant seeds in cold compost again!!!

[Seahorse]

My best solution is a child's seaside bucket and a torch. Go out once it's been dark for a while and pick up as many slugs and snails as you can find (I recommend rubber gloves!). If you put the kettle on before you nip out, when you're done you'll have a speedy method of execution and a cup of tea to warm you up!

[sewer rat]

After dark , torch and bucket slug hunts are probably the most effective though maybe that is purely and simply because you can see how many you have removed. I only do this once a month in my tunnel and not at all outside (too much land)
I also use home made beer traps in the tunnel - just sink empty custard pots level with the soil, fill with cheapest beer of lager you can find and leave the alcohol to do its work. I have to empty mine once a week and fill with fresh beer.
Good hygiene helps - remove all old leaves etc and try to maintain a weed free area where possible - this gives the slugs less options of somewhere to lay up during the day.

[Nicos]

We had a sleep-over party for my young son, sleeping in a tent with his pals and good ol' dad sleeping in another tent.
Before they went to bed they were all given a torch and a plant pot and told the game was to try and pick as many snails as possible- and the winner would get an extra large party bag ( so long as NO-ONE trod on any of the plants!!!!)

Result.....hardly any snails in the garden!! ( even now....many years later)

We also have a hedgehog which we encouraged into the garden and he/she munches away at the slugs.

[hawthorns]

i have recycled copper pipe, hammered it flat and nailed it to the top edge of my raised beds this should stop the snails and slugs getting into my veg as they dont like copper.

[momol]

I don't use any slugs pellets nor nematodes, just the beer trap, hunting them with a torch n' a long handle scissor ( easy to cut them into 2 pieces) and once in a while, invite the black birds to eat em all (by taking the covers away)...black birds love them . So far, they are under control.

momol

[Sue]

Hi
In the spring and summer I have daily slug hunts for the chickens, picking up every pot, mulching fabric etc where they love to hide. Also give the chickens woodlice when I find a nest of them.
Am also very wedded to my slug prison where I lob them when I find the odd one or two, they can't escape and I give them weeds to eat.
I have noticed a difference in three years, overrun with the things when I started but there do seem less now. Less long grass too for them to lay their eggs in, used to find those everywhere before I started getting the plot under control.
Do resort to organic blue pellets to deter any who venture into my raised beds which are covered with mesh or fleece.

Coffee grounds are supposed to help and I will be making a big border of grounds for my strawberries.

Also grow seedlings where they can't get to them and grow them till they're strong and healthy before planting them out. Direct sowing is an open invitation to a slug buffet. Covering with plastic bottle cloches helps too. Even root veg can be grown this way if you use biodegradable pots.

best wishes
Sue

[Madasafish]

I'm lazy. I let the slugs and snails do all the work.

Lay down 3-4 plastic bags (old compost ones are ideal) flat on ground with the dark side closest to ground.. in a damp and shady place.

Every 2-3 days lift them, kill collected slugs and snails and replace.

Time taken: about 3 minutes.
SLugs/snails killed at a time - 30-100 depending on weather, time of year etc.

It is of course in the long run a complete waste of time as the slug population in the surrounding 25 acre field migrate to our garden in search of food but in the short time it enables us to grow strawberries etc.

[Birdie Wife]

I'm going to try sowing salads in short guttering this year, after I read a tip from Sarah Raven. You know that plastic guttering that some people use for growing peas in and then transplant when old enough? Cut it down to 2 foot lengths and sow some 'cut and come again' salads and put it in the coldframe until the plants are grown well enough to withstand minor attacks. Transplant to the garden. Sounds like a good way of keeping a rotation going too.

[lainey lou]

I use old 1 pint plastic milk bottles to make my beer traps, cut a little "door" hole for the slugs about 3/4 of the way up the side of the bottle, add some beer (ask local pub for free slops - no sense in wasting good ale!) screw on lid (this will stop the rain from watering down the beer) and bury in the ground to the level of the slug door.

[jeannine]

Thanks everyone - there's some fantastic ideas here - keep em coming!!!

[jeannine]

I've just had it confirmed that the nice people at Thompson & Morgan have kindly agreed to let me have a £10 voucher to send to everyone who’s tips I publish in Let’s Grow Veg. The star tip will get a bigger voucher.

For the issue of Veg on sale on 8th Feb I’ve included words of wisdom from:
Seasprout, Sarzwiz, Piglet Willie, Rat, Flummery and Birdie Wife.
Can you guys please private message me the addresses you’d like the vouchers sent to?

When I’ve compiled the slug and snail tips in a week or two, I’ll post a list of the voucher winners then.

Thanks for all your help with this – it’s fantastic to see all the different ideas everyone has.

[lainey lou]

Wow, congratulations you guys!

[Birdie Wife]

That's really made my day! It's a real incentive for anyone else with a tip to share to bring it into the forum as well as have a chance to be published in LGV mag

[NSB]

I've read somewhere about laying comfrey branches on the ground and the slugs feed on the comfrey and leave the plants alone, I'm gonna try it this year