Topic: slugs

[gingerninja38]

i started a compost heap in feb this year and its now half full (its full of kitchen waste and garden stuff) my problem is it is crawling with slugs  should i worry about them or leave them be?
and will they leave eggs in the compost which will end up in my garden when the compost is ready next spring?
thanks

[keef]

I expect it'll be alright - the heat of the compost will kill any nasties, make sure you turn it once in a while.

[Mubgrub]

I'd just take it as a sign your heap is moist enough ;D

[beejay]

I just snip 'em with my secateurs if I spot them in there.

[Obelixx]

There are some slugs that only eat decomposing material so are in fact helping porcess your compost.   If you're not confident you have that kind in the compost, you should be able to spot and remove them if you turn the heap a few times before spreading it on the garden and if th eheap gets hot enough it will "cook" any eggs.

The ones to worry about are the ones that creep out at night and munch on your precious seedlings and treasures.

[Scope254]

Talking of slug eggs, am I right in thinking these are the little piles of whitish eggs I  keep finding when I turn over old wooden boards?
If so, how do I kill'em off? or will the birds do it for me if I leave them exposed?

As a newbie, I keep finding slugs and snails and have to remind myself not to do my usual trick at home and send them flying over the fence into the neighbours jungle!  And yes, I know they'll all find their way back to me in the end.

[Obelixx]

Leaving the eggs exposed should iether dehydrate them so they don't hatch or help the birds find and eat them.    Slugs and snails do have a homing instinct for their juicy food sources so will come back - better to use a safe slug pellet such as Garden Success Advanced Slug Killer which only harms slugs and snails and is safe for other wildlife and pets.

[wardy]

I'd leave them in open to be eaten by the birds.  Slugs are a pain but are a fact of life.  Beer is very good and I use beer traps and plastic boxes with slug pellets in (just a small hole cut in the side)  I have a dog and don't want him, or hedgehogs, getting poisoned.  The boxes I use mostly are detergent packaging but plastic soup cartons are good too, or the small plastic milk containers.

[Mubgrub]

Are the garden sucess pellets really safe?  Won't the poison run off into the ground water?  Even the organic pellets I've looked at say 'keep away from aquatic wildlife' on the packet.  One lot of rain and Bam! Dead froggies?

[the_snail]

I like the BEER Methord Personally  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

The_Snail

[redimp]

My slugs and snails all die on a diet of cheap value bitter in cheap slug traps bought from Lidls earlier in the year - although I did get a bit slack towards the end of summer.

[supersprout]

I go out with a torch and a pair of scissors at dusk and snip them in half. Have been teased by peeps on the site and am now having nightmares  :'( but still creeping out to Do the Deed 8). It works for me! ;D