Chicken bald back

[lillybettybabs]

Any pet friendly advice on stopping these blighters eat the top off my carrots which are in a big sherry barrel?

I have put crushed egg shells on the soil but that hasn't stopped them so far and the Spaniels try to eat them....ggrrrr

[mollyripkim]

We have been going out every night with a torch and removing as many as we can, it has made a difference. Also have pots of beer which they are drawn too and then can't get out.

I know it's nice but worry about lung worm with the dogs.

[Duncan08]

We have been going out every night with a torch and removing as many as we can, it has made a difference. Also have pots of beer which they are drawn too and then can't get out.

I know it's nice but worry about lung worm with the dogs.

 

What do you do with them when you remove them?

We went out years ago now and collected over 200 slugs and snails from our garden.

Hubby couldn't bring himself to kill them all so he drove them to the golf course to set them free

 

There are a few good ideas on here....

http://www.originaltouch.co.uk/acatalog/slug-tips.html

[mollyripkim]

I can't bring myself to kill them either, I have a pond at the end of the garden with a rockery and have lots of frogs so some get put down there and take their chances with the frogs. The others I am afraid my hubby drowns in beer and then tips the whole lot down the drain. Yuk!

I will have a look on that website for ideas though.

[munkee1965]

I hear copper tape around the tops of pots keeps them away.

[Bramble]

Just wanted to sympathise! I've built two new raised beds this year and the slugs have gobbled EVERYTHING I've planted in them

[LolaLayla]

I bought copper tape from the garden centre as I recently found a slug in the layers pellets bin but it didn't stop them

[lillybettybabs]

They have been in mine too, I have some window insulation tape that i might try in the lid of the bin

to see if that stop them. Carrot tops have been nibbled during the night.

[The Dogmother]

They are drawn towards dried cat food, perhaps a pot of that nearby will distract them?

 

I found copper tape to be rubbish too.

[lillybettybabs]

I might try WD40 or Vaseline around the bottom of the barrel tonight.

[The Dogmother]

.. or the old farmer's remedy for everything... used tractor oil

[lillybettybabs]

I remember that well!

[The Dogmother]

They used to use it for scaly leg mites... worked but probably killed the chickens as well

[lillybettybabs]

Use tractor oil makes good theft deterrent on fencing

Anyway the window insulator tape seems to have worked on the feed bin . WD40 hasn't worked

so the slugs must be parascending over the fence. to eat the carrot tops!

[counturchickens]

Slightly bizarre, but this was being discussed on Jeremy vines radio 2 show in the week. A lady was on there recommending putting porridge oats down. She seemed to think this kills the slugs, then of course they can be eaten by birds and hedgehogs without harming them. I can't vouch for this though! Maybe they just eat the oats in preference to your crops?

[The Dogmother]

I vaguely remember that bran kills them; worth trying out I guess....

[counturchickens]

Yes, did a quick google and found that too. I think the jeremy vine program was mainly about the harm caused to birds and hedgehogs if you use pellets, I'm guessing bran won't hurt anything else.

[westie mum]

On the farm where my daughter works they have been using sheep fleece, you can also buy sheep fleece pellets,as a slug and snail repellent and it has been a real success. The sheep are being sheared this week so I've asked her to get me some and I'm going to give it a try.

http://churchfarmardeley.churchfarmardeley.co.uk/farm-food-a-more/fruit-a-vegetables/209-a-word-from-our-grower-25th-may.html

[bluekarin]

I put down some ground coffee (cheap stuff from Lidls) and *toucheswood* my sweet peas, carrots and one lettuce are still going The garden smelt amazing as well

[craftyhunnypie]

Slug busting...

 

1. Tear apart copper scouring pads & tie fibres round your pots or greenhouse table legs.

2. Bran - makes them explode!!!

3. 50/50 mix of Diatom & Garlic powder.

 

Emma.x

[Minnie&Moose]

Eeek! Not sure I can cope with the idea of exploding slugs:vom:

[Hayleybug]

it says in the information sheet with the order i got that diatom is a slug repellant too so has anyone tried that? i had to remove lots of baby snails from inside my hosta as it appeared it was being used as a nursery! cheek! copper tape around the pot now but not sure how long that will work..

[The Dogmother]

It would work but only until it gets wet.

[lillybettybabs]

I shall corner one of my pumpkins off and try it, I have three pumpkins that can't seem to get past the flower stage...grrr!

[craftyhunnypie]

Copper scourers are cheap enough to pull apart & replace the fibres around your pots / table legs as they get wet & turn to verdigris. Much cheaper than the tape!

I get flippin' slugs making homes in the egg port door grooves of the eglus! Not impressed!When I egg collect - there is a juicy slug looking at me & going " well helllllloooo".

Emma.x