Attack by slugs

[Paulines7]

Help please !!   My aubergines which are in 30cm pots are being attacked by slugs as soon as the fruits start to form.  I have some horticultural grit.  If I put this in the pots, will it stop the slugs from climbing the plant.  I don't really want to put slug pellets down and they may prefer the aubergine fruits anyway.  If I run out of grit and smear vaseline around the rims, will this help?  Any suggestions will be very welcome as I am not going to get any fruits at the rate they are destroying them.  :'(

[Paulines7]

[Mrs Ava]

I would do both Pauline, the grit, and the vaseline around the rim - a two pronged attack!  What a shame.  I am jealous as I don't even have flowers in mine yet!

[Tee Gee]

Put a ring of salt or lime around the base of the pot and this may help.

I only say this because they are growing in pots, had they been growiing in the border I wouldn't have mentioned it as it might create other problems.

[Paulines7]

Thanks for your replies folks. 

EJ, I will try the vaseline and grit and see what happens.

Tee Gee, regarding putting down salt or lime, I couldn't do this  because the pots are standing on soil in the greenhouse and I wouldn't want it contaminated.   Any salt would be washed away as soon as I put the sprinklers on and could affect the plants that I have growing, such as my carrots and early strawberries, which are directly in the soil.

[MikeB]

Try

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2067214.stm

[Georgie]

Pauline.  You could try pressing salt crystals into the vaseline.  It's a messy job but it's certainly kept the slugs and snails off my lupins and the crystals are less likely to be washed away.

G x

[MrsKP]

Try

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2067214.stm

I do like the "slowly followed by death" bit !

;D

[MikeB]

Wicked :D :D

[Paulines7]

Pauline.  You could try pressing salt crystals into the vaseline.  It's a messy job but it's certainly kept the slugs and snails off my lupins and the crystals are less likely to be washed away.

G x

Surely the salt crystals will still disolve with the water from the sprinkler and I can't risk my carrots and strawberry plants being destroyed, but many thanks for your suggestion.  

Mike, the site says that the caffeine can damage the plants so I think I will leave that for now.

Rain is forecast for tomorrow so I think I will sort the greenhouse and slugs out then.  Things are overcrowded and it is just possible that slugs could climb up pots or plants without grit and vaseline and then move across to the aubergines.  I found another big fat orange one this morning climbing up the glass and skewered him with a sharp prong.   ;D

[MikeB]

If your plants are in the greenhouse, then sprinkle slug pellets around the base of the plant, this won't harm any other wildlife since they should be excluded from the gh or use the enviromental ones.  I use the coffee method 50g per 2 gallons. No harm to my plants, this is weaker than the suggested brew, I'm not trying to kill them, just drive them away.  This year on my plot I've only seen 1 (yes that's one) slug and I've had no slug damage, me I am well and truely converted.

[MrsKP]

and skewered him with a sharp prong.   ;D

instant death as opposed to instant coffee death  ;D ;D ;D

[rdm51]

This is an old trick but a good one, human hair around the base of your pots slugs hate it hmmmm i wondered why i have gone so thin on top talk nicely to you local hairdresser and ask fo the sweepings but expect so strange looks  ::) hope that helps

[MrsKP]

I already scalp him to put it in the compost !  I'll have to tell him to grow it quicker !
;D

[Paulines7]

If your plants are in the greenhouse, then sprinkle slug pellets around the base of the plant, this won't harm any other wildlife since they should be excluded from the gh or use the enviromental ones. 

I have seen the occasional frog in there so am reluctant to use slug pellets, Mike.  I also have three aubergine plants in pots outside in one of the veggie runs but they don't seem to get attacked.  Maybe it's because the chickens were in the run last year and cleared it of all vegetation.   ;D

I will report back on the grit and vaseline.  :D