Topic: New slug deterent

[Roy Bham UK]

Heard this up the lotty today, place guttering around your beds, fill with water, keeps slugs out ??? ;D

Could be expensive if you have to buy it but if you can scrounge it, it may be worth a punt? Or doesn't it work? ???

[Hyacinth]

Snag might be......any slugs inside the moated area won't be able to get out and then........what will they eat to survive.... ??? ::) ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

 ::) Yah but no but there may only be a few in there when you sow yo seeds, therefore while they are waiting they starve to death and can't get out to tell their mates 8) I fink ??? ;D

[daisymay]

interesting idea.....

next generation of slugs will come with arm bands though  ;D

sorry - could not resist and talking out loud again aren't I.........

[cambourne7]

i was going to get some old pipes hammer then flat and stick around the edge of the beds ( and earth them :-) )

[MikeB]

What about the slugs that seem to tunnel through the earth?

[cambourne7]

its clay i would love them to try. But i have not seen slugs with bulldosers :-)

and i am planning a ground offensive with nemotodes :-)

[manicscousers]

we used nematodes this year, didn't work for long, I think there was too much rain just after, also working on new soil, could've been wire worm damage first

[teresa]

I love the idea of a moat, old methords of ashes, crushed egg shells or raise boards around the edges with copper strips nailed on to them. Ment to give them a shock? any ideas of the latter gardener told me that one.

[cambourne7]

but what happens on a hot day when the water drys out?

[Robert_Brenchley]

The slugs don't come out on the surface in that sort of weather because they dehydrate. My worry would be the possibility of them going underneath; the majority of slugs are always underground.

[Roy Bham UK]

My worry would be the possibility of them going underneath; the majority of slugs are always underground.

Well that's killed the broken eggshell theory then ;D

[Hyacinth]

No it hasn't Roy. I save eggshells all year round & always put a handful in the planting hole as well as surrounding the plant. Ring of Confidence ;D

[Rosyred]

I couldn't wait to read this post as I really want another way to get rid of slugs/snails instead of using those blue pellets. On TV this weekend an organic garden are going to use hedgehogs so thats my plan. Find a hedgehogs family, fence in and then they can be pets too.

[Barnowl]

raise boards around the edges with copper strips nailed on to them. Ment to give them a shock? any ideas of the latter gardener told me that one.

We've put copper tape round some of  the raised beds with runner beans and brassicas in them and it seemed to work. The beds without it had slug damage, so will extend the program to more beds next year. Anyone know of a cheap source of copper tape? I've got copper tacks so it doesn't have to be the self adhesive sort.

PS make sure they aren't in there already  :-\

[teresa]

sons got some old copper pipe wonder if that would work?

[greenscrump]

We managed to scrounge some old copper pipe this year and it seemed to work a treat on the areas that were surrounded - although barricaded with sharp sand also  ;)

[saddad]

We have heavy clay soil and it is no barrier to slugs! It is also not ideal for nematodes but we have found a marked decline in damage after a couple of years application. The biggest problem is large commando slugs abseiling in on plants that have fallen over...
The moat works well (Butcombe box?) the tape too.... I'm going to coffee grouds them to death next year...
 ;D

[teresa]

The method my aunt used was good.
Large jam jar with lid, layer of salt in bottom of jar and a long pair of tweesers. She would go out with a torch and collect all the big ones fill the jar put the lid on and pop them in the bin.
Very cheep and effective, ok at home in the garded but may look strange down lottie at night with a torch? hee hee

[manicscousers]

I was told by an older allotmenteer that bran kills slugs, it dries them up, thought I'd try it, it seemed to work but we were told not to put it down as it encourages RATS, I'd rather have the slugs !!