Topic: how do you commit slug genocide?

[coznbob]

Have read up on dealing with the B****rs, there seem to be many suggestions, from baiting them with melon rinds and bran to beer traps etc.

While we have got beer traps going, lettuces seem to be being eaten all the faster!! >:(

Has anyone got a really effective method, or should I just give in and nuke them with pellets? ???

[wahaj]

to be honest slug pellets aren't all they're made out to be. they wont get rid of them. i mean don't get me wrong.....i always find dead slugs allover the place in the garden...but it still doesn't stop them having a good munch on some of the plants before they die.

the other day my boyfriend decide to teach me something he used to (but i never did) when he was younger. kill them with salt. i mean you can't put salt in the garden because that can make the soil baren....but this one was on the patio. he made a circle of salt around it and it was in agony when it tried to get out. it was awful to watch.

anyway! i think the key is to use a number of things. use copper tape on your pots....put a little bit of pellets down....have a beer trap in the corner and any spare egg shells you have. you can also mulch your most vulnreable plants with very sharp grit.

everything combined together won't kill them all...but certainly get the point across that they aren't wanted.

[coznbob]

Knew about the salt, have been putting it in a ring around the basement door at home, as the lovely creatures are getting in and leaving slime trails all over our hallway! Think something to do with the airbrick?

Am going to try the bran trick next, apparently they can't get enough of it and will gorge themselves to death.

Don't get me wrong, am not a homicidal maniac, I wouldn't mind some slug damage, but would like to eat some of the things that we are growing!

[calendula]

I recycle every single bit of eggshell for this purpose and I've also tried pices of garlic and garlic water (for the greenhouse - worked very well, smelt great  ;D) and coffee grounds are supposed to work very well - don't forget that you will be eating the slug pellets in some form or another as they leach into the ground if you use them keep them to the paths or away from your produce (if you feel inclined)

[coznbob]

That's the reason I don't really want to use them.
 Also with 4 smallish children, don't want them to come into contact with any of the stuff either, and they are having so much fun, don't want to have to ban them from the plot either.

Any particular way of distributing the coffee/garlic?

[MikeB]

From the topic - Bran @ Slug control -
 
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,20585.0

Sounds interesting - would that be old coffee grounds spread around the plants?

That apparently works as well.

What I did was mix 50g of instant coffee with 2 gals of water, I then ' watered ' an area approximately 12' by 4' including any plants, there was no damage to the plants.  I did this in march and I haven't seen a slug since (quickly touches wood), nor had any slug damage in fact it is probably time to re-treat.  I used tescos own brand coffee at 19p for 100gs, good for 4 gallons. A resonably quick, definately cheap and effective method of slug control.

Hope this is of help

[coznbob]

Cheers for that, Guess I should eat the bran myself and try the coffee ( i've been meaning to detox so alls well in the end). ;)

[Kepouros]

Coffee is indeed a potent deterrent to slugs when used in the proportions Mike B describes - indeed there was considerable discussion on the subject on this board some years ago.  It doesn`t actually kill the slugs at that strength, but they will quickly vacate any ground so treated.

However there are many vegetables which don`t like coffee either - lettuce in particular can suffer considerable chlorosis, and when applied to many types of young seedlings they not only become chlorotic, but virtually cease to make any growth until the concentration of coffee in the soil has been reduced by rain and leaching.

The best use for coffee is on mature or nearly mature crops such as carrots which have matured but are being left in the ground, or potatoes from which you have removed blighted haulm but which have to be left in the ground for 2 weeks for the skins to set, or any other root crops in similar circumstances.

If you Search for `Coffee and Slugs` on this and the Edible Plants boards you will find several threads and messages on the point.

[GeordieVik]

I found that Nemaslug nematodes (from greengardener.co.uk) were very successful in our old garden - although it's aimed at slugs, it seemed to polish off quite a few snails too.  And it's organic, harmless to everyone except the slimy munchers.

You can buy it in planned programmes - Four applications sent at 6 week intervals

[BoardStupid]

Would you have the space for some sort of water feature in your garden ?

Even an old belfast sink would suffice and next year get some frog/toad spawn and see your slug population diminish !!!  ;D

[sally_cinnamon]

While we have got beer traps going, lettuces seem to be being eaten all the faster!! >:(

Well, you know how beer gives you the raving munchies....!!! ;D

[BoardStupid]

While we have got beer traps going, lettuces seem to be being eaten all the faster!! >:(

Well, you know how beer gives you the raving munchies....!!! ;D

No, that's something else !!!

[sally_cinnamon]

While we have got beer traps going, lettuces seem to be being eaten all the faster!! >:(

Well, you know how beer gives you the raving munchies....!!! ;D

No, that's something else !!!

 ??? ??? :o :o :o ::) ::) ;D ;D :P

[Larkspur]

You only have to consider the current level of slug population in any part of the UK and the length of time gardeners have been waging war on them with how many different methods to realise the futility of attempting slug genocide. ;)
We think we are loosing the war, I doubt they have even noticed there has been one. :D

[saddad]

I have found Nematodes cumulatively effective, used beer traps and will give coffee a go. You can't beat a damp evening walk with a torch and strong boots....
The pellet war didn't work because it killed off the predators even faster... now I have seen Bran at our local pets stall on the market I'll be getting some out for next season...

 ;D

[coznbob]

Have to confess, despite the good intentions, went to the plots tonight and saw the damage done to my brassicas...  >:(The pellets did go down.
Have lost all the lettuce too. >:( >:(
 The thinking is try and get as many as poss. with the pellets, pray they won't kill anything else and then deter the rest with a coffee solution.
Now my blind rage has cleared, am feeling bad, wanted to be organic!

[MikeB]

wanted to be organic!

Well you can be once the slugs are gone. 8)

[Robert_Brenchley]

They never go. Pellets will only get the ones on the surface. 90% of them will be underground.

[Obelixx]

Growing Success' new slug pellets worked for us early in the season but it was quite dry and not many were about.  Once the rains came we were inundated and during the drought in July the b*stards all headed staright for my nice damp hosta pots and made lace which has never happened to me before.  They also turned the dahlias to skeletons and decapitated a few clematis.

I now collect them when I see them and toss them in the road for passing vehicles to "Splatt!" with their tyres.   It's quicker than salt and I can't do the scissor trick.  I'm going to try the coffee trick to to save what's left and get them out of the pots before winter so they can't shelter there.   I like the idea of nematodes but have a large garden so too expensive.

[Spruance]

Would you have the space for some sort of water feature in your garden ?

Even an old belfast sink would suffice and next year get some frog/toad spawn and see your slug population diminish !!!  ;D

We don't have a pond but the neighbour does and we have quite a large frog population. I've also noticed quite a few young ones this year too. They even seem to get into the greenhouse, and are often quite reluctant to leave.

I don't know if the frogs have sorted out a rota between themselves and the hedgehogs, blackbirds and thrushes, but I can safely say that I do not have a slug 'problem'. That's not to say that there aren't any slugs, but there is very little evidence of their nocturnal activities.

Oh, and I never use slug pellets.