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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: carolinej on May 21, 2008, 21:49:10

Title: Slug free gardening.
Post by: carolinej on May 21, 2008, 21:49:10
I noticed today that there are lots of flowers in my garden that are never attacked by slugs and snails.

I suppose it would be possible to never have slug problems again, if we only grew those plants.

Some of the ones that I find are slug proof are...........

montbretia
aquilegia
muscari
daffs
tulips
hyacinths
rose campion
erica


Does anyone else have any to add to the list?

cj :)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: manicscousers on May 21, 2008, 21:59:50
my clematis and roses get very little damage ,
also, campanula and honeysuckle  :)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: saddad on May 21, 2008, 22:20:25
Yes they hide under these thugs and come out to eat all the softies!!  ::)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Kendy on May 22, 2008, 11:37:56
Weeds !
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: carolinej on May 22, 2008, 14:04:27
Yes,Kendy. It's not fair >:(

cj :)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: loopyloulou on May 22, 2008, 21:47:28
keria, if ive spelt it right, the snails climb up these and go dormant, which is fine as i pick em off n chuck them into the neighbours nettle patch.... sadly they dont eat ivy either :( the antirhinum (snap dragon) seem pretty immune too, they survive last yrs slug frenzy and the winter and are flowering again, they dont seem to know when to stop, so im not going to argue, just wish i could get some more things past the slugs!!!
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Columbus on June 02, 2008, 16:14:46
Hi all,

Slugs are eating everything I plant except Nasturtiums that grow themselves.
And sweetcorn.

Col
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Crystalmoon on June 05, 2008, 14:05:11
Hi Columbus I am having the same problem at my allotment  :'(    just too wet to keep the slug fest under control!
Things I have in pots are doing better since Ive used copper tape...but pricey but should last a good few years.
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Old bird on June 05, 2008, 15:11:09
Tell me something - or am I being thick - why arent people using old copper pipes to deter the slugs?  I would have thought that you can pick second hand stuff up really cheap (I do understand that it can be used again) but I bet there is loads of it in skips and the like!

Old Bird!
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: STEVEB on June 05, 2008, 19:09:22
i have never tried beer traps(as i tend to drink it)are they as effective as ive heard?
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: daileg on June 05, 2008, 19:24:07
Quote from: Old bird on June 05, 2008, 15:11:09
Tell me something - or am I being thick - why arent people using old copper pipes to deter the slugs?  I would have thought that you can pick second hand stuff up really cheap (I do understand that it can be used again) but I bet there is loads of it in skips and the like!

Old Bird!

old bird are you referring to old plumbsers pipe (copper) as i never see it lying around in skips theres too many sharp minded scrap metal merchants around but if so on that note will have a word with a friend who is a plumber
ps thanks for the tip why didnt i think of that ?
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: thespade08 on June 05, 2008, 20:00:59
Quote from: STEVEB on June 05, 2008, 19:09:22
i have never tried beer traps(as i tend to drink it)are they as effective as ive heard?

I usually drink the beer and then head for the garden , in a drunken frenzy, ;D ;Dsquishing as many slugs as i can find.
;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: STEVEB on June 05, 2008, 20:11:20
Quote from: thespade08 on June 05, 2008, 20:00:59
Quote from: STEVEB on June 05, 2008, 19:09:22
i have never tried beer traps(as i tend to drink it)are they as effective as ive heard?

I usually drink the beer and then head for the garden , in a drunken frenzy, ;D ;Dsquishing as many slugs as i can find.
;D ;D ;D

does beer breath have the same effect?
I know it keeps wiffey at bay !! lol
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: wetandcold on June 06, 2008, 16:09:54
I tried copper water pipe - I surrounded a couple of small ligularias with some and, unfortunately, it didn't work. I often used to see slugs / snails slithering along it without any apparent discomfort!

I find coffee grounds very successful - they even saved my delphiniums this year (even in rainy Scotland!). You need a fair amount and I sprinkle a 2" border completely around the plant. It becomes strangely water-repellent and even survives the rain. Slugs HATE it for some reason (caffeine / strong taste / powdery???)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: shirlton on June 06, 2008, 18:02:50
 We were speaking to a chap on our plot the other day and he said that his father had some copper tools Spade and fork and he never had problems with slugs. Don't know where these can be bought. I'm gonna look on the net and see if they are available. The amount of pellets we buy might just cover the cost in the next ten years.lol
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Kea on June 06, 2008, 19:05:28
I've got so many slugs and they've started on the strawberries, normally i don't use the non organic slug pellets but i just succumbed but now I'm worried as some pellets ended up in contact with the fruit. There are lots of dried up dead slugs and snails but now I'm worried about eating the strawberries.
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Emagggie on June 06, 2008, 20:39:24
Just read in a book of 'handy hints' never grow sunflowers next to a wall as the slugs just climb up and onto the plant.....too late I fear  ::) :'( but I don't seem to have any slug damage to the marjoram,tarragon and oregano. Must be the smell that they don't like.
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: manicscousers on June 06, 2008, 20:54:59
our sunflowers are in the middle of a plot and some of them still look like yours   :o
love the picture, is it jess,  ;D
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Emagggie on June 06, 2008, 21:04:59
Ho yes Mal. She's into everything. ;D
Think I'll try coffee round the sunflowers, the rest of the garden has been seen to by Blue Pellet Woman. ;D
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: manicscousers on June 06, 2008, 21:06:47
you got one as well  ??? ;D
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Emagggie on June 06, 2008, 21:10:12
I am that woman  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Magnolia on June 07, 2008, 18:09:26
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr everything I put in the ground that isn't a decent size gets completely munched.  This week I've lost all peas, half my little gems (expect the rest to go tonight) and my climbing beans.  Everything in containers has survived.

I've managed to catch loads in beer traps but reckon they've feasted 1st before supping on the beer.  Coffee grounds do seem to work better and I didnt put as much down around the plants as I normally do as I was in a rush.

I declare war on the little &&&**@$.
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Deb P on June 08, 2008, 12:23:12
I use a lot of plastic bottles cut in rings, or for lettuces the top half of a bottle to protect small plants when they are first planted out, surrounded by the ferramol based pellets. This helps them survive until they are big enough to fight off the odd nibble. Namatodes help reduce the overall population too, but I only use it once at the beginning of the season as it is expensive! Sunflowers also get a thick smearing of Vic (or supermarket own brand stuff, cheaper) halfway up the stem, snails won't cross it!
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: wetandcold on June 12, 2008, 14:02:38
I have also been finding that a torch and a pair of good secateurs can work wonders... ;D
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: carolinej on June 12, 2008, 21:39:49
Eeuww!!

cj :)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: peasmad on June 12, 2008, 22:57:22
Copper is not a metal that will be laying around for very long..................it's value is too high as scrap.
But never fear there are answers...........................................
I have Ducks outside that eat them from the borders. I am the only person locally to grow delphiniums without slug damage.
But in the old PT and on the veg plot, where the ducks aren't allowed i use other means.
Here goes with my TOP SECRETS.
I sometimes use cut up pop bottle as rings, coated in vaseline and wrapped with copper thread. The Copper thread is an ordinary copper kitchen scourer, which can be unravelled like knitting and loosely wrapped around the rings. In all my grow bags (saddle bag style) i just leave a pile of unravelled copper scourer round the base of each plant. NO SLUGS............................................. But SSSSHHHH Don't tell everyone.
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: carolinej on June 13, 2008, 07:12:38
Your secret's safe with me ;)

cj :)
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: tonybloke on June 18, 2008, 11:23:39
Quote from: shirlton on June 06, 2008, 18:02:50
We were speaking to a chap on our plot the other day and he said that his father had some copper tools Spade and fork and he never had problems with slugs. Don't know where these can be bought. I'm gonna look on the net and see if they are available. The amount of pellets we buy might just cover the cost in the next ten years.lol
The company is called 'Implementations' I got a bronze trowel made by them at the chelsea show, the best trowel I've  ever used.will take and post a pic.rgds, tony
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: tonybloke on June 18, 2008, 11:34:20
here you are, my lovely new trowel. I also seem to have success with slugs by the use of seaweed, its got iodine in it, slugs hate it! ;)[attachment=1]
Title: Re: Slug free gardening.
Post by: Barnowl on June 18, 2008, 13:23:27
Anyone tried the wool pellets yet? Slug Gone or Slug Buggers (great name :))