Slug and Snail deterent

[cucumbervirgin]

What is a good deterent for slugs and snails around my patio grobags, planted with cucumbers? I don't want to use any poisons or chemicals that might harm any wildlife or cause polution.

[Susie]

They say that 'beer traps' are good!! think you can buy some specialist kind of receptacles but other than that then I guess a bowl of beer would be just as good??? also - copper tape around the pots/tubs (but not sure about how you'd do it around grow bags) -hopefully someone else can give you some better advice

[Lady of Shallots]

Apart from beer traps which seem to be the most effective organic way of getting rid of them, I have heard that a border of cat litter around the bag/container can dissuade them. It is the absorbency that they don't like, it dries them out. Unfortunately though this will only work during dry weather as once it rains I imagine the cat litter will be of no more use! Apparently some garden centres also sell similar absorbent granules, but I imagine they do pretty much the same thing and cat litter is cheap as chips!

I have yet to try this, so if you do, please let me know how you get on!

[cucumbervirgin]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm trying a similar thing with ash from the barbecue, only one incursion so far! I'll let you know how I get on. A nightly slug patrol seems to be effective as is the hot dry weather!

cv.

[naturalgardener]

Hi cucumbervirgin,

If you are looking to take control of your slug infestation, I can advise using slug nematodes.

Slug Nematodes are Microscopic transparent worms which feed and multiply inside the slug, not visible with a hand lens. Dilute with water before use. Apply to moist compost/soil between April and September.

The nematodes have an expiry date, usually 1 - 2 weeks if you do not wish to use them immediately, store in the fridge.

For more information on slug nematodes and biological control, have a look at the website below.
Biological Control

[Thomas W]

Originally Posted by cucumbervirgin

What is a good deterent for slugs and snails around my patio grobags, planted with cucumbers? I don't want to use any poisons or chemicals that might harm any wildlife or cause polution.

How about crushed egg shells on the ground around the growbags?

Or maybe a metal plate fence with a sharp angle. I've read that slugs have a hard time passing sharp edges, if they have the correct angle.

[timbrenn]

Egg shells are a good solution. If you bake them in the oven it makes them work even better.

Another alternative is to encourage frogs into your garden. There won't be a single slug around, but you'll have to build a small pond.

[Lady of Shallots]

I've found this stuff online for sale and I'm wondering if anyone has tried it? Looks like a good idea - an organic pest control for slugs and snails that only harms them, not anything else!

Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer 750g [GROWIASK800] at www.CapitalGardens.co.uk :::

It's called 'Growing Success Advanced slug killer'. If anyone has used it I'd love to find out if it works, as they're causing a LOT of damage in my garden at the moment...

[Thomas W]

Originally Posted by Lady of Shallots

I've found this stuff online for sale and I'm wondering if anyone has tried it?

Well the description says it's based on iron phosphate and the can says "pellets" and that's what I've been using a lot of, just a different brand, but I can't really tell what effect it had. It also says it contains a bait, which could be different from what I've used.

Last year I was going mad from the damage cause by slugs and used a lot of pellets, but this year there are only a fraction of slugs in my garden and I have only used a couple of handfuls.
What about your neighbours, do they fight slugs? If they don't you'll be attacked from all sides and a fence is the only thing to prevent this. How effective is a fence?

Originally Posted by Lady of Shallots

Looks like a good idea - an organic pest control for slugs and snails that only harms them, not anything else!

I guess it takes down a couple of good guys too.

Originally Posted by Lady of Shallots

... as they're causing a LOT of damage in my garden at the moment...

It sucks, and if you're really serious about fighting them, go with the angled fence solution.
I have to rearrange my garden and lay down concrete slabs around all of my beds which will make it much easier to spot and crush the slugs, when they travel to and from my vegs. Having grass around my beds absolutely sucks because they hide in the grass during daytime and eat vegs at night. Some say it's a slow slug year this year but I want to get closer to solving the problem instead. Our local ecosystem is clearly out of balance. And where are all the frogs anyway?...

[Lady of Shallots]

A bit of feedback... The organic 'growing success' granules I mentioned are great! I have not seen a slug or snail on my veg for about a week now! I have found one or two dead ones. Very sad but they can always go and live in next door's garden instead. I highly recommend this stuff if you're having slug and snail problems!!!

[smithyveg]

Pellets are the only solution.

[Contrary Mary]

I've had great success with a couple of barrier methods:

a) copper tape stuck around the sides of my raised veg beds (about 2/3 of the way up seems to work best, against slugs but not snails).

b) Vaseline smeared across the tops of my troughs and pots.

The first seems to have kept the slugs away so well that I am now keeping my lupin seedlings in spare space in the beds - slugs love lupins. I started off with twenty, but the little blighters got almost all of them. Since I moved the three surviving ones, no problem.

The second was a tip from a neighbour, and I'm sure it's the only reason I still have any basil or coriander! I had previously never managed to plant either of them out without them getting munched to the ground within a day or two. The trick is to make sure that no grit gets into the vaseline layer, as it works by making the surface too slippy for the snails. Of course, you also need to make sure that there are none in the area you are trying to protect to start with, or they will not be able to get out, and will just munch the available food supply while they are trapped. For the same reason, you might have to keep checking the area for a bit after you've done it, in case of newly hatched slugs from eggs already in the soil.

It also seems to help to keep plants in pots or troughs well supported with sticks and such, so that they don't hang over the sides to the ground and give the slugs/snails a 'bridge'. If you do the smearing while the surfaces are dry and clean, then you don't need to bother again for months, as vaseline doesn't get washed away by rain, it just sort of soaks into the pot but still leaves a slimy surface.

Good luck

[greengirl]

I recently read a great tip for deterring slugs. Collect your spare coppers, one and two pence bits and when you have enough, just scatter them around the base of whatever you're trying to protect. Alternatively, £5 change at the bank in ones and twos! Well, probably cheaper than buying that copper strip stuff. Good luck.

[Lez]

I have read a post by someone on another site they said, when I pm'd them, that the use of bran, bought from a chicken feed place, placed around thier veg at 1" deep and 6" round has kept the critters at bay. it is ok in the rain and lasts a couple of months. a big bag for a tenner lasts all season. having read an article on slug pellets poisoning the water table and one pellet tainting 1100 two gallon cans of water to unacceptable levels I will be trying bran. I do not use pellets anyway as we are on fairly light soil and the dry weather has kept the slimeys away, but, the first rain and hoards of the hungry slimeballs are waiting in the wings. ready to come a munching. anyway worth a try as the person I spoke to swears by it. good luck.

[PhilP]

I would recommend the granules, I've found they're a great and cheap way to stop the oozy little blighters from crawling over my produce! I get these 'Eco-Charlie' ones that are recycled so good for the environment and are safe for wildlife and kids etc. You can make them into a border around your cucumbers or scatter them over the surface as mulch.

I get mine here:

Natural Slug And Snail Deterrent £3.95

I've had a couple of orders from this company and have found they deliver really fast too, so definitely recommended.

[PottyPot]

Originally Posted by greengirl

I recently read a great tip for deterring slugs. Collect your spare coppers, one and two pence bits and when you have enough, just scatter them around the base of whatever you're trying to protect. Alternatively, £5 change at the bank in ones and twos! Well, probably cheaper than buying that copper strip stuff. Good luck.

I like that idea, but always use rough grade glass paper around my young plants and a torch to catch the critters The glass paper lasts the season and then I dig it into the soil when its gone mushy. You can get a nice big pack from the pound shops and a sheet can be cut into four squares, a slit put in and wiggled about, and then popped around the stem at the base of the plant.