slugs

luckat

A recent New Zealand study found that black beetles are the best weapon against slugs, and that the best way of getting a really good black beetle population together is to have patches of rough grass.

A three-year-old square metre of cocksfoot and Yorkshire fog (http://www.irishwildflowers.ie/more/grasses.html), never cut, will, in the thatch at ground level, have a population of ground beetles that will eat slug eggs up to 60 metres away at night. For the first year or so it will, of course, be a perfect slug habitat. But then the beetle population will move in and start work.

jobrok1

I've noticed a langer load of black beetles around my garden.
Doesn't seem to be affecting the slug population too much though.
The bastards are relentless.

luckat

jobrok1 wrote: »

I've noticed a langer load of black beetles around my garden.
Doesn't seem to be affecting the slug population too much though.
The bastards are relentless.

Or maybe it takes a while for the populations to balance. I go out every night like Jack the Ripper with my implements of death and slaughter them wholesale. But really that only means 15 or 20 a night.

Apparently earthworms eat them too, and slug pellets kill more earthworms than slugs. Weapons of mass destruction.

joseph brand

Ducks are very destructive in a vegetable garden. They have large feet and hungry beaks.

Is it just me or did this line make anyone else smile?

Conjures up a very silly image.

Thanks.


Kev

Minder

Last year I had a huge problem with slugs and snails. I used nematodes and beer traps, copper tapes and wholesale slaughter using a bucket of boiling water and a pair of gloves.

This year I have deep raised beds, copper tapes and rings, two doses of nematodes and a liberal dose of safe slug pellets. I have found very little slug damage and less slugs. Not much snails either. Been dry here so maybe that contributes, but I'd hope the nematodes and pellets have done the job.

old boy

a local hair dresser tells me that she has unusual demand for the shorn hair, as people are using as a slug deterrent,

Amalgam

old boy wrote: »

a local hair dresser tells me that she has unusual demand for the shorn hair, as people are using as a slug deterrent,

How does that work?

deisemum

old boy wrote: »

a local hair dresser tells me that she has unusual demand for the shorn hair, as people are using as a slug deterrent,

I've often heard of using hair as a deterrent

Gordon Gekko

deisemum wrote: »

I've often heard of using hair as a deterrent

I've heard of using it as a deterrent for foxes but never slugs.

gnu

You can get organic slug pellets made of iron phosphate. They are non-toxic to birds, children, pets etc. I haven't used them myself but experienced gardeners have recommended them to me. One brand name is Advanced Slug Killer and I've seen it in Homebase.

I've also been told that a combination of methods is best and that persistence pays off!

I ended up leaving them alone - I don't like them but can't reconcile myself to killing them - yet!:D Apparently they can help improve the soil in similar way to earthworms. But not many people want their seedlings composted by slugs!

geordief

Amalgam wrote: »

How does that work?

they don't get tangled in it as you might suppose.It apparently irritates them to death.The hair has to be in very small lengths and I think animal hair (horse?) is supposed to work as well.
I have had no success with it myself but maybe I didn't use it correctly or in large enough amounts.
I also think it may work in wet weather.

davenewt

Hey folks. I currently have a coldframe where I'm growing on courgette, spinach, pepper and lettuce seedlings. Some have already fallen to slugs which have crept in to the coldframe, but thankfully there are plenty left.

Anyway, I am soon going to have to transfer these plants into the garden. Am going to dig a new area about 1m x 3m...

My question is: is it worth constructing a frame around this area, and wrapping the sides with plastic, or netting, or felt - and burying the sides into the ground? Creating a mini "walled garden" if you will?

Has anyone tried this and does it help in the prevention of slug invasion, or would I be wasting my time?

If it's not worth it, I may just try edging the patch with enviro-friendly pellets instead, or some other method.

Any thoughts?

Minder

Build your raised bed and top the boards with copper tape - available on ebay if nowhere else. I find the copper tape and copper rings is the best deterrant for molluscs.

geordief

davenewt wrote: »

Hey folks. I currently have a coldframe where I'm growing on courgette, spinach, pepper and lettuce seedlings. Some have already fallen to slugs which have crept in to the coldframe, but thankfully there are plenty left.

Anyway, I am soon going to have to transfer these plants into the garden. Am going to dig a new area about 1m x 3m...

My question is: is it worth constructing a frame around this area, and wrapping the sides with plastic, or netting, or felt - and burying the sides into the ground? Creating a mini "walled garden" if you will?

Has anyone tried this and does it help in the prevention of slug invasion, or would I be wasting my time?



Any thoughts?

I do it often - with fleece which is quite cheap if a bit unsightly.
I bury the edges having made sure there are no slugs trapped inside.
It doesn't always work for very small seedlings but should work otherwise.
Your plants may get too big eventually but they should be big enough to withstand slug attack at that stage..
I think it comes in 2 metre widths .
I like it because you don't get mould like you might with plastic.

davenewt

Thx geordief... I've just been out and caught about 20 slugs this evening! Not sure whether to be happy or annoyed. They're everywhere. I expect the smattering of rain has brought more of them out this evening...?

I've now got my new larger veg patch into which I've transplanted about 40 leek seedlings and half a dozen courgette plants which were coming on really well. One of the courgettes and a couple of leeks have already fallen to the slug invasion!

Still, 20 in one evening? I was quite surprised.

Think it might be time to ring-fence the veg patches with pellets. I've already surrounded with wire and covered with mesh, to keep birds etc. out... but of course this is no problem for the slugs.

Pellets might be the only option left? And if I surround the veg patch rather than put the pellets *on* the patch, I should avoid any potential contamination, yes?

Edit: actually I wonder if I can get copper tape or somesuch from a garden centre?! Thanks for the reminder, Minder

6th

I'm getting them again the last few days and i'll be going back to the old reliable:

6th wrote: »

I used to make my own beer traps when I had a slug problem, it took a couple of minutes and was taking out 20/30 of the feckers at a time. A sharp knife, 2lt bottle and some tape did the trick. They can get in easy but its not to simple to get out.

davenewt

davenewt wrote: »

Pellets might be the only option left? And if I surround the veg patch rather than put the pellets *on* the patch, I should avoid any potential contamination, yes?

The most common slug pellets use Metaldehyde, which breaks down over the course of a few weaks into harmless compounds like H20 and CO2.
Surrounding the patch, has been effective for me. The slugs seems to be attracted to the pellets.
A very small amount of are needed, Literally one pellet every 3-4 inches. One tiny pellet is capable of killing 17 slugs.

davenewt

Moonbaby wrote: »

A very small amount of are needed, Literally one pellet every 3-4 inches. One tiny pellet is capable of killing 17 slugs.

You mean you leave gaps in the "wall" of pellets? Hmm. Not sure I'd trust them not to go straight through...?!

girseach

Have 2 lovely hostas and the slugs are is full swing in our garden at the mo but got 2 plastic slug traps in Aldi a few weeks back basically small pot with lid that you put beer in, seems to be working so far but seen an interesting posting on garden.ie at the weekend where you boil a bulb of garlic in water and then spray this garlic water on the hosta and the slugs keep away as dont like the smell, to be repeated every fortnight. Might try over the next week to see if it works, would be cheaper than the beer:D

davenewt

davenewt wrote: »

You mean you leave gaps in the "wall" of pellets? Hmm. Not sure I'd trust them not to go straight through...?!

Trust me they do. It is all in the instructions on the pack.

Chicken Run

I can vouch for the success of the "wildlife-friendly" slug pellets.
I use the ones made by Growing Success Organics - get them from Homebase. They're based on iron rather than metaldehyde, work brilliantly against slugs and don't harm birds (I also keep hens)

Incidentally, my hens turn up their beaks at slugs and caterpillars... picky beggars.

davenewt

Chicken Run wrote: »

I can vouch for the success of the "wildlife-friendly" slug pellets. I use the ones made by Growing Success Organics - get them from Homebase.

Thanks, will have a look for them!

Dr Galen

i mentioned these before. I've been using them them now for a while and have had great success. Had lost quite a few lettuces before hand. A dual action method of these and copper strips around the bed did the trick.

leitrim28

I thinking of using copper wire mesh as a fence as well (as long as i can get it cheaply enough). would the copper wire mesh work?

deisemum

Chicken Run wrote: »

I can vouch for the success of the "wildlife-friendly" slug pellets.
I use the ones made by Growing Success Organics - get them from Homebase. They're based on iron rather than metaldehyde, work brilliantly against slugs and don't harm birds (I also keep hens)

Incidentally, my hens turn up their beaks at slugs and caterpillars... picky beggars.

I found these slug pellets very good. Last year I didn't have a slug problem like I did the previous year. I do think the difference was down to my hens who'll fight each other for a slug.