Please can someone help, huge slug problem

[kes74756]

This is my first post on the forums, so please accept my apologies if I have put this in the wrong place or made any other error.
Please can someone help me, I have a huge slug problem in my garden, I am at my wits end now, have tried everything, they are munching everything, I have even put my growbags with my runner beans in, up on a shelf thats is about 1 metre off the ground and they still getting to it, any ideas as to how to kill them.
My two grandchildren live with me, and have two cats so I have to be careful about what I use, and as I am a full time carer for my husband, money is a bit tight. So any ideas would be greatfully appreciated.

Thanks for reading
Mandi

[redser]

If you have the time, go out after dark with a torch and a jar (or scissors) and collect/cut them. A damp warm night brings them out in force.

[bearded bloke]

Welcome

Grapefruit for breakfast ? then put the skins upside-down on the soil & "harvest" your slugs the next day,or the ever popular beer traps although they are not good in the rain

[veggiechicken]

Welcome to the Vine, Kes!!
I use a bucket of salty water and throw any slugs and snails into it. Empty the bucket out after a day or so though as it will stink! You can sprinkle the slugs with salt but I don't like to see them fizzing - so its a bucket for me.

[rustylady]

Are you sure it's slugs? My problem this year is snails, and they climb. They are everywhere, including in the greenhouse. You can use pellets, but I've not found them very effective this year and I have a very inquisitive dog so don't use them where she can get.

Get a bucket of very salty water and go on a collecting spree. Be they slugs or snails, drop them in the bucket (they can't swim in salty water). Also have a good look around - snails hide in nooks and crannies until they think you're not looking and then they come out and munch your veg.

[kes74756]

Thank you for your suggestions, will be out later tonight (if the wind drops) with me bucket of salty water, a torch and a set of tongs so I dont have to touch em.

[veggiechicken]

I use old barbecue tongs - can't bear to touch slugs either. Snails are OK because they're "wrapped".

[pdblake]

You can put crushed eggshells or sharp sand around the base of the plants, horsehair if you can grab some off a fence.

Also try leaving a bit of old carpet out. They'll hide under there during the day. Just turn it over and let the birds do the rest.

[dominic10]

It might be you are unlucky enough to have slugs eggs in your growing medium. I find the grapefruit skins very effective but OH prefers to drink the beer as I never found it effective but others do. I'm told by my neighbour that hunting at night and despatching is really effective in the long run and the numbers reduce eventually he uses a pointed stick but I think tongs might be more effective. I have my seedlings on high on plastic shelves and at night I see the slugs crawling up the walls. Touch wood so far damage has been minimal unless they learn to fly. Good luck with your slug/snail hunting.

[kes74756]

Oh now thats a scary thought flying slugs yuk, stuff of nightmares.

[Kleftiwallah]

For slugs I use "Slug clear" I cannot see who makes it) it is an a green container. A thick liquid which I dilute and water onto the soil. Birds, pets and kids cannot see it and it doesn't wait to be eaten! It sinks into the soil and gets them there.

For snails, I use a catapult and send them into orbit! Cheers, Tony.

[Two_Sheds]

If you have the time, go out after dark with a torch and a jar (or scissors) and collect/cut them.

That's my method ~ I got 148 of them the other night

[Urban]

I was in the same boat, was at my wits end, I was getting tired of late night slug hunting, and using beer traps to no avail, I used nemeslug about a week ago and it seems to of massively reduced the amount of slugs/snails in my back yard so far

[Aberdeenplotter]

Yups, nematodes do thin them out and they are eco friendly except of course to the slugs.

[WillyNelson]

First thing I would say is to have a really good tidy up. Old pots, overhanging grasses, any areas that are dark & damp is where they'll hide. And kill all the ones you find. Then nightly patrols will cut the numbers pretty quickly. that should reduce your immediate problem and you can concentrate on picking off the few survivors.

Advanced Slug Killer, in a blue lidded pot, is safe for pets & children and organic. One tip I read recently is to place the pellets under something like a 12" piece of upturned guttering. It provides an inviting damp dark shelter for the slugs and stops you having pellets spread all over.