Nemaslug ??

[Bubbles26]

Has anyone used Nemaslug before?

http://www.nemasysinfo.com/slugs.shtml

Does it actually work? I want to set up a 'wildlife friendly' zone with a washing up bowl filled with water, with a couple of logs and some flowers to attract the right kind of pest killers but I haven't got round to that yet and while I'm getting round to eat everything is being destroyed.

I will not use slug pellets as I just can't stand the thought of introducing chemicals to the plot. I did get the boxes of recycled ceramics which are supposed to prevent slugs from getting to the plants but they are still munching away - so need to change my approach me thinks!

[Bubbles26]

[manicscousers]

We trialled slug gone last year and it seemed to work so have just bought a 20 kg bag, we only put it around things that stay in the ground for quite a while. Made from sheep's wool so feeds the soil while keeping slugs off  :)

[green lily]

I've used nemaslug. Its main problem is waiting until the soil is warm enough but still continuously damp. Here as soon as it warms up everything gets dry. It works if you can guarantee the right conditions. I've gone back to the organic slug pellets which aren't quite as good as the regular ones but help to keep everything in check and are not temperature dependent.

[goodlife]

It worked for me when I used it..I did the double treatment one summer and it got things under control..since that I've had two small ponds dug into my plots..I feed birds all year round and snails when I come across get 'welly treatment'. Now I haven't had need for any slug pellets in my plot on ground for years!
Where I do use few pellets every year is in GH, there is always few that get in to hide over winter..this year I've used 5 pellets in GH. I new I had slug or snail inside GH, but could I find it..? ::)..so those 5 pellets were placed and following night the snail was 'done' and pellets swept away in bin.

[chriscross1966]

If we get a wet warm May then Nemaslug works well (or it did for me) as it gets all the sluds as they start to move around and it gets the new hatchlings too... as a result you get the nematodes managing a breeding cycle adn it fills the ground up with spores.... at which point any slug is doomed all summer... if it's too dry (or too cold) when you apply then they don't get a chance to get a full cycle in and although they will kill a few slugs you don't get them minefield effect..... I will get some this year and it will go on my spuds but nowhere else as it's really mostly effective against the underground slugs... ones on top get the iron-based organic pellets... our soil is limey enough that it probably needs the iron anyway....

[Ellen K]

I used nemaslug last year, 2 treatments over the spud bed.  At best it was only partially effective and it's not cheap either.  I wont be buying it again.

If you keep your plot clear of debris, you get fewer of them.

And what Goodlife says is spot on - you only need a few slug pellets to do the job.  You see plotholders who use them by the kilo, I am still on the same pack I bought 3 years ago.

[chriscross1966]

I used nemaslug last year, 2 treatments over the spud bed.  At best it was only partially effective and it's not cheap either.  I wont be buying it again.

If you keep your plot clear of debris, you get fewer of them.

And what Goodlife says is spot on - you only need a few slug pellets to do the job.  You see plotholders who use them by the kilo, I am still on the same pack I bought 3 years ago.

Good point re: clean site, all the damage i see ATM comes at the sides next to untended plots I have as neighbours....

Last year was a bad year for Nemaslug, way too dry at the prime times to apply I'm afraid....

[laurieuk]

This is one thing we should not do,by all means use slug pellets but not in this way. This is very wastefull and very dangerous to wildlife and possibly pets. There are only four cabbage plants on this plot.


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[saddad]

If used as instructed I have found it very useful for my potato beds... reducing tuber damage... but it is difficult to time it right to have damp warm soil...  :-X

[goodlife]

Laurie..I'm glad that you posted that picture, if anybody uses that much slug pellets..they are attracting more slugs around rather than killing them.. ::)
I see that kind of 'pellet sowing' around here far too much..makes me shudder for what amount of the chemicals will leach into ground water.
On some plots the soil surface is blue :o I was only other day talking to one chap who yet again bought a supply of pellets from our shop...this time I just couldn't help myself asking what is he doing with it all? ::) Apprantely..once he planted his potatoes..he applied pellets all over the place.. ::)..and now the rain has disolved them all so needs to keep the pellets topped up...not only that, he uses agricultural round up..killed all the sprouting weeds that came on surface before potato tops come up.. ::) Ugh..would not like to eat his veg..and he keeps chickens..pulling weeds for the girls as well....he claims to like his wild birds and foxes.. ::) and yet his plot is like a threat trap with all the chemicals.
I reckon his veg would not pass the standards what is set for commercial farmers..they are allowed to use only a fraction of the pellets on their land that any one of us can buy and use from shop. Lot of people use more pellets on their small plots then farmers over the acres of land.. :-X
http://www.pelletsarepesticides.co.uk/pelleting-precision-/
edit to add; farmers use up 210g old type pellets per HECTARE..we usually buy them in shops in 500g containers..that 500g is LOT of pellets for allotment plot!

[Alimo]

I'm another slug-gone user - its really good and improves your soil too. 

Alison