salt and slugs

[only small]

Hi all,
I was told by my mother in law that if I put salt around my plants it will stop the slugs. Whilst I have no doubt that the slugs will indeed hate this and go away, what effect will it have on my plants?
Somehow I have the feeling that it will only be detrimental to them as I have never heard of this before!
Sorry if this is not quite the place for this topic, but I wasn't sure ::)

Please advise
Only Small

[only small]

[Svea]

we used to put salt on slugs and watched them die - hours of entertainment for kids

the quantities needed for such treatment is quite substantial, however, and will probably influence the salt levels in your veg patch.

i would advise the 'leftover beer trap' method or the 'DOS' (dead on sight) method of going round late evening and collecting and destroying them as you find them.

failing that (or laziness as with myself) there are organically approved slug pellets to be had as well

[basketcase]

Does oatmeal work or not?

[saddad]

Not ried it myself, but beer traps definitely do!
;D

[tim]

bc - "Oatmeal and bran are very appetising to slugs, but kill them. Horse bran can be bought cheaply in large sacks to spread over vegetable patches."

[Rosa_Mundi]

The one thing that worries me about oatmeal and bran is whether they will harm other creatures who eat them will be harmed. These things kill by swelling up inside the slug. They must do the same in other animals, too.

[teresa]

I keep going to try the beer traps but never get round to it.
My aunt us to get a jam jar put half an inch of salt in the bottom and with a pair of long tweesers go out at night and collect all the slugs up in jam jar fill it and put the lid on by morning all dead and throw them in the bin.
Bit difficult if your too far away from lottie but great for back garden.