Topic: Have you tried this slug/snail deterrent?

[Georgie]

So......now I'm expected to cook my empty plastic bottles?????? ;D ;D ;D

Is that taking green living a little too far???

CC

LOL!

Bit OTT I reckon, nor do I think it's the method Simon and Caroline are suggesting.  I have it mind they mean turn the bottles upside down so the wide edge is at the top and thus forms a 'funnel'.  Is that right?

G x

[Robert_Brenchley]

i read somewhere that a lady used to lob her snails away into the wilderness of next door, and decided to paint nail polish on some oneday, and guess what they came back :o >:(. don't know how true the story is. :-\

I know when I was a kid I tried chucking all the snails along the garden wall over into the warehouse yard next door. They were all back next day.

[caroline7758]

I cut the top and bottom off a 2L bottle so that I have a"tube" approx. 5" high. I put this over the sedling and push it into the ground. I can't say the leaves don't hang over the edgese once they have grown a bit, but at least the plant has had a chance to build up its defences a bit! I do sometimes sprinkle slug pellets inside the tubes, too- less chance of birds or animals getting poisoned?

Hope that's a bit clearer!

As Georgie suggests, I also use upturned bottles to channel the water to the roots, although I've only used this method in growbags.

[Georgie]

Ah right, I've got it now.  Thanks Caroline.   ;D 

I use empty 2L water bottles as mini cloches but I'd never thought about using them as tubes to keep the slugs and snails off.  Good idea.   :)

G x

[SimonL]

Georgie & Caroline

The best bottles are indeed the 2 litre kind.   The tops of the bottles once their tops are removed are small enough to allow you to pour water in, but are also too small for snails and slugs to get in....Also, the bigger bottle types present
quite a way for a slug or a snail to climb!

Another thing is, use a clear bottle.  This allows more sunshine!

I also use a tried and tested barrier to reinforce my defences and that is to use plain old partially crushed-up egg shells around the bottles.  They really don't like the sharp edges and this puts a lot of them off attempting the climb.

Slugs and snails are only really interested in young shoots...So once your plants get established they become less interested and look elsewhere. (honest!)
You can then remove the plastic bottles, reasonably confident that they will be ok. I am really pleased to have been able to offer another method to deter slugs and snails I hope that this helps all Gardeners.  Thanks for your comments!  I hope this answers your questions!

[flossy]

 
  Have found that clearing the grass and soil along the side of my wood edged bed, making a mini ditch -
  has cleared the slug problem by two thirds !!  Don't know where they went but ' am I bovered ' !!

  In the past I have smeared Vaseline around the tops of my tubs - just under the rim, as slugs find it hard to cross over and it worked very well.  Made a horrible mess though and was not nice to wash off after use !  Soooo, used masking tape then Vaselined  --  much better to strip off.

This year I tried Albas Oil  smeared round the top of a tub of marigolds - dont they just love 'em, that worked well and the plants are still undamaged [ to date ].

one word tho,  pick your raspberries before messing about with Albas Oil !!

[Georgie]

Thanks for your tips, Simon and Flossy.  Lot's of ideas for people to try there.   :)

G x

[zeed]

Sounds interesting. There is a lavender farm not far from me. I'll pay them a visit and let you know what they have to say.

[Georgie]

Sounds interesting. There is a lavender farm not far from me. I'll pay them a visit and let you know what they have to say.

Look forward to hearing their thoughts, Zeed.   :)

G x

[manicscousers]

well, went to the plot today, the results are as follows
All the lettuce have been reduced to a stump, there was a great, fat slug sat in the middle of the one SURROUNDED with lavender , never mind, my mate gave me one of his   ;D
onward and upward,when the weather is cooler, I use plastic bottle cloches and old demijohns with the bottom cut off, causes too much mildew this weather  :)

[Georgie]

well, went to the plot today, the results are as follows
All the lettuce have been reduced to a stump, there was a great, fat slug sat in the middle of the one SURROUNDED with lavender , never mind, my mate gave me one of his   ;D
onward and upward,when the weather is cooler, I use plastic bottle cloches and old demijohns with the bottom cut off, causes too much mildew this weather  :)

 >:(  Similar thing happened here.  I tried top dressing one of my potted Chilli plants with Lavender clippings and found a big slug curled up asleep in the middle of them next day.   >:(

G x

[manicscousers]

at least the slugs will be relaxed, maybe it makes them easier to catch  ;D

[Georgie]

at least the slugs will be relaxed, maybe it makes them easier to catch  ;D

ROFL   ;D

G x

[cacran]

The last time I visited the hairdressers, she told me she had heard that a barrier of hair deters the slugs. anyone heard of that before?? I know you can buy copper strips to deter slugs so what if you surrounded the bed with copper pipe, would that work? ???

[moonbells]

I've lost loads this season to snails, but while there are 1000s of slugs in the front, I haven't spotted any round the back.

I suspect this is due to having a small pond and a completely-enclosed back garden: any frogs I happen to find get relocated into the back and then can't get out again so I have very good slug control!

This from a week or so ago:



moonbells

[flowergirl]

aaarrgggghhhh....slugs and catterpilars....the enemy!!  This is my first year having an allotment and I could cry!!  Not only those sneaky little b*ggers but cabbage fly too  :'( I wanted to grow organic but the main reason for getting an allotment was pounds pence and shillings.  next year I mean business!!! So tell me how I can deter but failing deter..KILL these pesky blighters?

[cornykev]

Georgie's far too nice :) kill the buggers I say, I've got a kebab skewer and I stab half a dozen and leave them sticking out the ground as a warning to the others.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Georgie]

Georgie's far too nice :) kill the buggers I say, I've got a kebab skewer and I stab half a dozen and leave them sticking out the ground as a warning to the others.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I can only agree with the first four words in that sentence.   ;D  As for the rest, I don't believe you are that cruel Kev.   ???  But then agaiin, you do live on the other side of the A10!   ;)  ;D

G x