Copper paint as As slug barrier

[tartonterro]

Are there any copper paints that contain actual copper as looking to paint the metal straps on my herb barrel to give my chives a chance to bulk up before winter

[tartonterro]

[Jayb]

Came across this site http://www.copperbed.co.uk/default.asp

[tartonterro]

interesting - but expensive lol

[tartonterro]

Just an update - managed to find copper powder on ebay for 12.99 for 500g.  Just need to pick up some resin and hardner and work out the porportions.  will keep you posted.

[Good Gourd 2]

I bought some copper scouring pads from the £1 shop pulled them apart and threaded them onto wire put round the plants and it worked, cheap and  reusable.

[Digeroo]

I have never heard of copper scouring pads, this looks like a brilliant idea.  I have been looking for something to protect a carrot bed.

[Vinlander]

I can't see the point of embedding copper in a resin or a varnish - about as much use as trying to lick a choc-ice without opening the packet.

The cheapest solution is to save all the copper piping you were going to throw in a skip (or take to the scrappie), straighten it out, hammer it flat and bend it into squares or hoops - your slugs will be bashing their heads against active copper for the next thousand years...

Cheers.

[Poppy Mole]

Is there copper wire in electric flex these days & if so would that work?

[cestrian]

The copper needs to be quite wide, like say about an inch. They will just crawl over copper wire like it isn't there. I use beer traps and putting coffee grounds around your plants keeps them away too.

[tartonterro]

Once youve painted on the resin/copper mix you sand the top layer to expose the copper, thereby giving the slugs/snails contact with the copper which should stop them - hopefully.  Might even try adding some copper wire poppy mole, will keep an eye out for the copper scouring pads Good Gourd 2

[green lily]

Good Gourd 2
Thankyou for that tip. I didn't like pound shops but from now on I've dropped another prejudice... [I wonder if Wilkos have them?]