Topic: Slug Pellets & Contamination

[Sigsy]

Is it safe to use slug pellets at the base of Toms and Cucumbers?

This might sound a bit silly, but I'm totally clueless about this and it is a concern,
but the pellets I'm using are the blue ones and i was planting to sprinkle them around the base of my plants.

Is there a risk of contamination for the plants and fruits if i'm watering over them, ie will the harmful stuff soak down into the soil and be taken in by the roots of the plant?

I know I shouldn't really use them but this is my first time growing everything and I want to learn about growing the plants first before I look at the other practises involved.

[davyw1]

DO NOT put your slug pellets on the soil or any where that your tomato stands in. the tomato will drink up whatever flavor or fluid  you give it

[Tee Gee]

Im over twenty years I can't ever recall slugs/snails ever going near my Tomatoes & Cucumbers so have never been in this position.

Perhaps someone can tell me ........do they ever do?

[Melbourne12]

I'm on a mission today.   ;D ;D ;D ;D

The only danger from metaldehyde is if you apply it directly to the edible portions a few days or less before eating them.  In other words, it is only dangerous if you consume it directly.  The greatest danger even then would only come from metaldehyde dust rather than the blue pellets which is the form most commonly used (unless you're so foolish as to eat the pellets, in which case you deserve the Darwin award).

Metaldehyde and its first breakdown product, acetaldehyde, will not be absorbed by your tomatoes.

There is no danger.  The sky is not falling in.

For the sake of economy, though, there's little point in using the slug pellets once your toms are well established.  It's the newly transplanted tender plants that are at risk.  We tend to treat just the once when planting out.  Ditto for cukes.

[tim]

That saved me mailing Scotts!!

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

as an alternative to metaldehyde, which was originally used as a lighter fuel, til some bright spark at a BBQ noticed what it did to slugs, you could use the ones based on aluminium sulphate, which are just as effective but much less harmful. Alternatively you could try the bio ones based on dehydrating agents, which are completely non-toxic. We're using this on the squashes this year (called slug off). It's not fantastically effective, probably completely useless when wet, and you need to use a lot and repeat apply, but you're only looking for a few weeks protection, til the plants establish

We only ever use slug control for beans and squash, and only ever do one application

[Columbus]

Hi Sigsy, Hi all  :)

I`m using more slug pellets this year than previously but I don`t like the scattergun approach.
I put slug pellets on lids and such like with a lid over them to keep
them off the soil and dry from rain and watering. The corpses tell
me this works.

I expect to lose large amounts of squash, marrow, cucumber, melon,
beans and brassiccas, strawberries and radish to slugs and snails so
I plant accordingly. I was dissapointed when they ate my first round courgette
overnight.

Best of Luck, Col

[theothermarg]

Im over twenty years I can't ever recall slugs/snails ever going near my Tomatoes & Cucumbers so have never been in this position.

Perhaps someone can tell me ........do they ever do?

just discovered a young cucumber plant which was 6" high eaten down to the stalk in my greenhouse
marg :'(

[Sigsy]

Thanks for the replies  :)

One thing I was unaware of which is now made clear to me is the fact that the pellets attract the slugs/snails, I was always under the impression that you sprinkled them around your plants to act as a slug "Minefield"  :-[

I think I will just put some on a lid as suggested rather that around the base of my plants

Thanks guys

[Melbourne12]

Yep, they've got dried yeast as an attractant, and a cereal filler.  Plus whatever the blue colour is.  Blue Smarties, probably.  :)

[grannyjanny]

Have you tried putting them in an ice cream container with a hole cut in the side & leave the lid on.
Janet.

[Spookyville]

Im over twenty years I can't ever recall slugs/snails ever going near my Tomatoes & Cucumbers so have never been in this position.

Perhaps someone can tell me ........do they ever do?

just discovered a young cucumber plant which was 6" high eaten down to the stalk in my greenhouse
marg :'(

they got 2 out of 3 of ours. don't touch the toms though...

[cornykev]

The buggers were eating me out of house and home, so I changed my mind and nuked them, I got about 30 slugs and snails over 2/3 days , I have put them along the border in a long line, they charged and they died.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[manicscousers]

The buggers were eating me out of house and home, so I changed my mind and nuked them, I got about 30 slugs and snails over 2/3 days , I have put them along the border in a long line, they charged and they died. 

is that as an example to the others, ck ?  ;D