war on slugs - the little ones

[SuzieP]

You can now buy organic slug pelletts if that's any help.

[muckdiva]

I have put copper tape around the outside top of a raised wooden bed 2.4mx1.2m, about 1cm wide. The bed is between two other raised beds, separated by a compacted mud path, and they are newly made this year. I filled them with a mix of turned over soil and compost from the heap, so I expected some slugs to be in the beds already.

After the rains of last week the plants in the two unprotected beds (beans, radishes, herbs) have been eaten by little white slugs, whereas the plants in the protected bed (lettuces and sorrel) are completely unscathed. The copper tape that I bought is manufactured for use as a conducting strip in electrical circuits.

I have noticed that slugs tend to turn away from the tape, but snails seem less concerned. I put the tape around the bird table to turn it into a snail jail, but the snails seem to escape without much hesitation.

Where do you get the tape from Sage, and is it cheaper than the specifically for garden copper tape you can buy?

[Moglets]

I have bought the copper tape on eBay- bulk buy it for a good price of £3 roll rather then the £7 in shops. Not convinced it will work, so using the granules too. Got one slug in my jam jar of beer, so guess that's one less. I also go out nightly with a head torch, but gather them up and dump them out the front garden. The numbers are falling, but I know there's loads still out there.

[Digger-07]

Just got back from the plot. As I was clearing up I noticed a small beige slug so dealt with it - then I spotted another then ...
Have just completed a bayoneting marathon. Can anyone help with camoflage make up etc. so I can join the SAS.

[The Sage of Brouhaha]

I got the tape from somewhere called Kemtron and it's slightly cheaper, but slightly thinner than the stuff from Ebay. I'd probably go for the eBay tape if I was doing it again, although I haven't seen that stuff i action.
It was £25 for 66m of 12mm wide tape, but they're sold out at the moment. The tape is sticky backed and easy to use, but I'd recommend wearing gloves when you're flattening it down or your fingers will be ripped to shreds.

[Nicos]

Nematodes- which reminds me- I must order mine now!

[Paulottie]

Well done Sage, i've been waiting for someone to give me some slightly scientific trial results. I suspected it made little difference to snails. Monty Don did some trial on GW when he first started but never gave out any results!

[witch-1]

I have the copper tape also - its thinner than the one garden sites recommend but seems to be working in most areas and much, much cheaper!!
... we also have new beds! I have seen abit of slug slime - so they could have been there before.

Got my tape from ebay also - was about £10 and was enough to go around 4 beds of approx 3'x4'

Have sprinkled some pellets also in my pots, double insurance!

Jan
x

[The Sage of Brouhaha]

Unfortunately my controlled test has now finished, as the other beds have been copper taped to help stem any further slug attack.

I also saw a test of a similar principle being carried out in the HDRA gardens in Yalding. They had a raised bed with 15mm copper pipe placed on top of the wood all the way around the bed. There were lettuces growing within it and they all seemed uneaten.

They were trying another other method of putting a moat water-filled guttering all the way around the bed, however the water had completely evaporated when I saw it.

[HeyWayne]

Just found this place has an offer on nematodes: http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/...op/product.htm

If I could afford them I'd go for it myself.

[TEB]

Unfortunately my controlled test has now finished, as the other beds have been copper taped to help stem any further slug attack.

I also saw a test of a similar principle being carried out in the HDRA gardens in Yalding. They had a raised bed with 15mm copper pipe placed on top of the wood all the way around the bed. There were lettuces growing within it and they all seemed uneaten.

They were trying another other method of putting a moat water-filled guttering all the way around the bed, however the water had completely evaporated when I saw it.

I had an idea where those small solar garden lights are somehow contrived that instead of lighting a lamp it is connected to the copper wires to give an overnight charge - not to be confused with that German matey who stuck 2 rods in the ground and wired them up trying to kill a mole, it sort of backfired when he turned on the juice while standing between the poles - still it got him a Darwin award.