Warm boot recommendations please

[Luvachicken]

Has anyone tried these copper rings and tape ?

I wondered if they do really work.

I really don't want to use slug pellets but really wanted to grow some Lupins and I know they are a confirmed favourite of slugs, but I don't want to buy the copper tape or rings if they don't work - I think they are quite expensive.

 

Any other slug busting ideas ?

[Princess Leia]

For what it's worth, I heard good things about the self adhesive copper tape, so tried some. Not for plants; I used it on the legs of the rabbit hutch as the slimy little devils were going in at night and eating his food! It had absolutely no effect whatsoever, sadly.

 

Forgot to add - best slug busting idea OH had involves half a brick...

Edited March 10, 2014 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

I've not found them to work either

[LolaLayla]

I put some tape round my galvanised feed bin but they still managed to get in

[BlueSilver]

Supposedly egg-shells work nicely (and if one has Henz, those are easy to come by). Crush them up - not into powder then need to be somewhat large - then put them in a thickish ring round the plants. They're too sharp for the slugs to slime over, but it needs to be a thick width, you can't just do a sprinkling - at least 2cm wide. That's a lot of shells but save up best you can and give it a try. Bran put on the ground also supposedly feeds up the slugs - it's like crisps, they can't just eat ONE grain, so they stuff themselves on bran and are too full to nom on your plants.

 

You can also trying planting a "sacrificial crop" around your plants, something slugs like even more than lupins, like comfrey or ground chamomile. The slugs will go for that, and be full and leave your plants alone.

[Patricia W]

I'm using wood ash from the fire around a couple of lupins I'm nurturing. So far it seems to work.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks everyone - looks like I'll be saving my money then

Thank you too for the other tips on slug advice.

I'm sure I read somewhere that used coffee grains work

I'm sure I can get these from work if I ask nicely.

I'll see if that works and let you know how I get on.

[Daphne]

Not meaning to be the voice of doom, but I have tried everything from crushed eggshells, large grit, coffee grounds, copper tape, ash, organic slug pellets, trained killer toads, etc etc. Nothing works except going out at night and picking off the offending beasts which is quite vile Even this doesn't work fully, but merely reduces the problem. I collected over 600 one very short summer in my last garden I have used inorganic slug pellets to protect particularly prize specimens in the past, but obviously I don't like using them, and have come to the conclusion that there is no way of getting rid of slugs, there is only a way of reducing their numbers - basically I can't see a way out of putting up with some slug damage

[Luvachicken]

Oh dear.

It looks like the one Lupin I bought will be doomed.

I was thinking I could put the plant out during the day and bring it in at night.

Do slugs mostly come out at night ?

[craftyhunnypie]

Half half mix of diatom & garlic powder works best for slugs!

Emma.x

[Luvachicken]

Half half mix of diatom & garlic powder works best for slugs!

Emma.x

 

Thanks for that, might have to give it a try

[The Dogmother]

Encourage toads into your garden... they and hedgehogs will eat your slugs. I have a community of toads living under my woodpile, whenever it's damp, they are out hoovering up the slimy beggars.

[Luvachicken]

I have frogs and toads in the garden, and today I even had a beautiful thrush, but I think there are just too many slimy creatures for them to eat

[BlueSilver]

I wouldn't go the diatom route in this case; it will kill everything, including anything you might actually want in your garden. If it has a carapace, the DE will shred it - that means beneficial nematodes, ladybirds feasting on aphids, wasps going for cabbage moths, the lot . Also, weird but true, some slugs are beneficial too, so killing the lot willy nilly isn't always the best course! If the slugs are that much of a problem, then it might just be better to choose slug resistant plants? I know there are plants I would love in my garden, but the climate isn't right, and the soil is clay, plus there's enough ground elder to terraform a planet. So rather than rip out the lot, I just work with what I have. My neighbours may hate my dandelions but the finches love the seeds, for example. If I can't grow it in the ground, I grow it in a pot, and can move things as and when.

[Valkyrie]

Torch and scissors. That's hubby's enjoyment.

[Valkyrie]

Oh and if you see them in the day - a pinch of salt. My girls never liked slugs before but now they go for big ones with great gusto. Most slugs have now moved to where the chooks aren't!

[redbug]

Slugs don't like salt I will pick them from my garden and put them in a bucket you'd think after a few weeks you would think no more slugs but they keep on coming.

[patsylabrador]

Every year I water the garden with Nematodes. Nemaslug in particular. I have just done my garden this year. I haven't been disappointed yet. Last year I only saw a handful of slugs. I think its a brilliant product. Natural and safe for other garden life.

I can grow perfect hostas- not those lacy ones!

I get mine from Amazon, costs about a tenner and I only do it once a year.

Do you think the slugs will be worse this year because winter was so mild?

I might do it twice this year just in case and also because DD did it and she was a little slapdash.

[The Dogmother]

I used those once Jude, and found them to be very effective.

[Luvachicken]

Thank you both for the thumbs up for the Nematode/Nemaslug stuff.

Might have a look on Amazon later.

 

My Lupin is doing well so far, putting it outside during the day and back in at night, but I did find a baby slug having a munch on it. He got squashed

[Valkyrie]

You do have to make sure the ground doesn't dry out too much for the nematodes to work - should be easy with this weather!!!!

 

I bought this last year:

 

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/slug-and-snail-shocka-roll-5m-pid8149.html

 

I found that as I'd already planted my runner beans I tried to cut strips and pin them down but they just blew away if it was really windy and wet and then there was a bit of snail munching. But where I cut out my own squares and put them around the French beans it did really well. For the runners this year I'm going to attempt to cut a strip the length of the bed and make holes and plant in between. I think if you allow leaves and other stuff to lay on the top then the pests use that as a raft to get to what they want - even climbing up my honeysuckle and when the stem goes boing across to the beans it's yum and now how do we get off? Then I imagine it's like ooo eee oooo eeek like paddling in the cold sea or a stream! Anyway it should keep the weeds down if nothing else!