Are slugs about yet?

[busylizzie]

I don't know whether I've just been extremely lucky so far or whether there aren't many slugs about yet but not a thing I've planted has been nibbled yet. I remember losing every single courgette plant and sunflower seedling to slugs last year -obviously that was a bit later in the year though.

I wondered whether my new raised beds are deterring them because they are about 18" high and made of very rough timber so not so nice to slime up! Anyone else noticed this with raised beds?

[ClayGarden]

I've not got raised beds, but slugs certainly are about already.

[janeyo]

I haven't had any in the raised beds yet, but we do get lots of them on the decking near the house. This does get and stay quite wet though so maybe it's easier for them to slide on.

janeyo

[amandaandherveg]

Eeeow! I built a strawberry trough out of some old scaffolding planks left over from renovating our house. When I picked them up they were covered in slugs underneath. Nothing in my raised beds yet (apart from one with some onion sets).

[Two_Sheds]

They are in your raised beds, you just haven't found them yet

[squashysu]

i caught loads last night in my beer trap, they are there, just hiding, i seem to have more snails than slugs, but i hunt them down at night where they like to party and then dispose of them in a nasty way lol.

[Lavenderblue]

I've not seen any on the lottie yet, but i am sure they are lurking about. We've not put in anything particularly slug friendly yet I don't think. I am going to put some beer traps down for them and make Storm empty them. I hate slugs, they make my skin crawl. I am better with snails and enjoy lobbing them over the fence as far as i can. I am a bad vegetarian.

[SlugLobber]

I thought this post was a joke! Come to my garden. I think I've got everyone else's quota!!!

[jackie j]

I have found slugs in the garden but not on the Lottie not many snails on the Lottie but loads of snails in the garden and i throw them over the wall into the lane and the birds have a feast.

[nelliegemini]

They chewed my asparagus a couple of weeks ago, since then I have Nemaslugged and copper piped.

This morning I went out to find my chillis had been felled at ground level, my gourd has a unusual lace effect and apparently my lettuce are yummy too. All of these are planted in pots and therefore un-nemaslugged and I kept my fingers crossed. Off to get some vaseline to protect the pots now.

But in answer to your question, yes they are about, and up to their old tricks. Probably helped by the fact it has rained non-stop for two days and is very warm.

[nelliegemini]

I remember losing every single courgette plant and sunflower seedling to slugs last year -obviously that was a bit later in the year though.

Driving past the fields yesterday I could see steam rising off the earth, the ground was warm and the sun was hot betwen the frequent showers. The weather now is just like it was last year only offset by a month - after the warm, dry March and early April came a warm wet May slugfest in '07.

[Herbgardener]

Black plastic sheeting placed on the ground is great for catching slugs.. they crawl under it at the end of the night and they are all in one place the next day.. makes life lots easier for disposing them in a bucket of salt water, and you don't need to feel guilty if you miss the odd night time hunt.

[Mikey]

I'm a late evening digger at the mo, so I always have a pair of scissors in my pocket just incase I have a chance meeting.

If there such a thing as karma, I'll probably come back as a slug.

[gemlady]

Hope you haven't just tempted fate

[areia]

see now you gawn a said it i just popped into my greenhouse and somones takens a nice chunk out of my newly rooted basil lil buggers grrrrr