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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: geordief on May 24, 2011, 13:37:26

Title: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: geordief on May 24, 2011, 13:37:26
Has anyone any experience with these pellets?
I have gone through a whole container of them because something seems to be taking them.
Could it be the birds?
Do I need to lightly cover them ?(I am trying that using strips of horticultural fleece)
Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: chriscross1966 on May 24, 2011, 15:44:39
I used them last year adn found them to be as effective as the metaldehyde ones, and just as long lasting on my ground. THey're supposed to be non-attractive to other animals ....

chrisc
Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: Vinlander on May 25, 2011, 01:31:19
They are supposed to make the slugs crawl off and die - maybe they are taking the bait with them?

All I know is that if metaldehyde made slugs crawl into the shade then twice as many would recover - dehydration is the main killer (just like a hangover).

Cheers.
Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: raksha on May 25, 2011, 21:34:42
Hello, I wondered if anyone knows how to save dahlias from slugs? I planted about 25 pots of dahlias 3 weeks ago and the slugs have been all over them - I need them to grow 1m tall before July (like the labels say!). Is it too late to save them - the slugs have eaten the leaves, the stems and there are no signs of flowers! Help!!!!

Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: pigeonseed on May 25, 2011, 21:55:28
Hi Rakhsha, I think it would be too late for them  :'(, though I'm no dahlia expert. However, the sight of bare stumps of once healthy plants is a familiar one to me! My slugs/snails have got through a lot of morning glories and cosmos this year. Depressing, isn't it?  :'(

I use those pellets, and find it does help. I assumed that the slugs had eaten them when they disappear!
Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: saddad on May 25, 2011, 22:37:05
Hi Raksha.. and welcome to A4A...
a grit barrier also helps... pellets actually attract slugs, but I fear from your description we may be too late for these particular dahlias.  :-X
Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: plainleaf on June 04, 2011, 09:50:34
surround the  dahlias with coffee grounds
Title: Re: ferric phosphate for slugs
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 04, 2011, 11:17:40
Coffee grounds dont work - at least not for me.
I have access to virtually unilimited amounts of grounds so I did a test and surrounded some snails and slugs.  I left em a way out and I repeated this numerous times.  Every time the snails/slugs went straight over the grounds to the lettuce I had left as a treat.