slugs - the iron curtain??

[tootles]

My brother-in-law has had what would seem to be a brainwave. He is making his raised beds with corrugated iron sheet. This should prvent most of the slugs - but is it going top mess up the balance of his soil?? Is it likely to affect the ph or can plants react to the high ferrous content of th soil?? If it works in shall do the same!!
Any ideas from the knowledgable grapes here of any impending disasters??
Tx

[Headfry]

Hi you tootles, i'm not sure that iron will stop the slugs, i think it's only copper that they don't like crossing ....much! though the slugs in my garden cross it freely....gerrr

[nelliegemini]

I thought only copper, but tinfoil was mentioned on another thread. I have nemaslugged and copper piped, and my asparagus is now coming though unchewed and the young lupins are unscathed, the first lettuces are also fine.

I don't know if it's a cure - might just be its too cold for slugs!

[SlugLobber]

Hi everybody!

Newbie here (and rapidly becoming the world champion slug-lobber, hence the login!). What is nemaslug, please? It seems my garden is Slug Utopia and my newly planted out lettuces are already struggling two days in, despite periods of slug-lobbing. I even tried offering them to the cat, but the fussy bugger didn't want any!

[nelliegemini]

Yes, my cats aren't too impressed either - but do help with the weeding in that they eat couchgrass.

Nemaslug is/are little microscopic doodahs that kill slugs without harming birds, hedgehogs and cats. I got mine from these Control slugs using nematodes - Nemaslug plus slug traps, copper tape, copper rings, shocka rolls and hosta halos people.

(No, I don't know how to reduce that so you just click the word 'these' - if anyone does know, do tell!)

[SlugLobber]

Thanks Nell. I can see this forum being my Bible of Gardening!

[nelliegemini]

Yes, but I don't think I'm the only one who spends as much time lurking as gardening

[HeyWayne]

I've made some beds from galvanised steel, not sure what effect it's had (if any) on slugs, but it looks neat and tidy. I would imagine it'll get a little hot for them once teh sun gets on it in the summer though.

[Two_Sheds]

My allotment is fenced all round with corrugated iron. It is also riddled with slugs and snails. The snails in particular like to snuggle in the gaps where the iron panels overlap each other.