Slugs and Snails

[runnerbean]

I was reading in a Mag today, some hints and tips, which might interest you all-
1. Tempt slugs and snails away, by using the skins of oranges and grapefruit.
2. Spray WD-40 on pots and containers, they don't like crawling through it.
3. Put pieces of felt roofing material around plants, they don't like crawling over it to get to the plants.

Place banana skins around roses, they feed on the potassium released.

I was having a mooch around the web sites today and I found a site on garden safety, I found it very interesting, www.safegardening.co.uk, hope you find it useful.

[smithyveg]

You COULD mess about doing all those things......or you could scatter a few slug pellets around in about 4.6 nano seconds and get on with more important things in the garden.

Good website on garden safety though!


www.smithyveg.blogspot.com

[cajary]

For general use, I'd go along with smithy. To protect things in pots, I tie copper wire round them ( that's the pots, not the snails). It's worked for the Hostas.

[Scarecrow]

I like to grow my food organically so like to be careful about snail pellets!

Some of them contain toxic methiocarb or metaldehyde which is deadly to pets (not good for young children either), local bird life and animals. We have large lizards over here (called Blue Tongues) that love to munch away on slugs and snails and the use of snail pellets was depleting their numbers.

Recently a new product has come on to the market here. The active ingredient is iron EDTA complex which breaks down to a soil nutrient that doesn't even harm the earthworms! This product is certified by the local organic boards here.

Personally I don't use any pellets we just go outside on rainy nights with boots on and go scrunching. Great fun!
But then we don't get very many rainy nights over here.

[runnerbean]

I'm really disappointed with you and Smithyveg, especially you Cajary, you should be thinking of the the environment, so stop using pellets, only use the safe ones, which contain ferric phosphate, before you think I have a degree in Gardening, I googled that bit of information today, or else like some, chuck 'em over to the next doors neighbour's garden.

[cajary]

Hi,rb. Sorry to disappoint you. But the little pellets are the most effective. "Death to the slime brigade" How do you "edit " a post

[smithyveg]

By eck, calm down, calm down.

I've been using pellets for years and I'm sorry but I don't believe for a minute that birds etc eat the dead carcasses of affected slugs and snails. The snotty little sods just lie there festering away for weeks and are far too unappetising for any self respecting bird.

By the way....does anyone have a really big slug pellet....say about 6 foot high that might dissolve Steve McLaren? LOL

Smithyveg (gutted!)


www.smithyveg.blogspot.com

[runnerbean]

By eck, I am calm, I am just passionate about trying to cut down on chemicals, I wasn't just thinking about the birds and animals, but if you put slug pellets, around the vegetables and fruit you eat, surely this is being absorbed into the very things you are eating. I believe in Organic where possible. That's all I was trying to get over.

[runnerbean]

Cajary, when you post a thread or new post, you will see a edit button click on that then, edit your text, you will have to put a reason why, and then re submit, hope this helps.

[cajary]

Yeah,rb. I can see what to do now. Thankyou

[smithyveg]

Don't believe in organic, sorry!

[cajary]

Well, smithy, to a certain extent I agree with you but you have to think "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson. While poisons, used correctly, are probably, relatively safe. If everybody and their brother chucks them about all over the place, it can probably be detrimental to everyone.
I am quite happy to use 24d or 245d in the garden but not when I know that females (of child-bearing age or under) are visiting within a day or two. I think it's a matter of knowing your poisons and the possible side-effects.
Incidentally that wasn't a row earlier, that was an exchange of opinions. If you want a row, go on physorg and talk about climate change!!
I never knew that I didn't know my Father!!!!

[whitedragon]

i dont use pellets i use this and it works
http://www.electricfence-online.co.uk/shopscr513.html

slug click me

[DMTech]

Hello All,
Found your site by way of Copernic search engine of Canada.
Copernic: Software to search, find, and manage information free to anyone.

Anyway, wanted to pass on info about snail ands slug abatement.
Simple , easy , and effective......Windex sprayed upon invaded plants and grounds kills them all!

A mix of 1 part ammonia to 4 water in windex type sprayer works as well.

Apply by spraying 1 foot above affected area and directly on invading slime things! Table salt shaken on individuals also does the trick IMMEDIATELY!

Apply at dawn or just after twilight. Within two nights of this treatment slugs and snail will be lying dead . Repeat treatment every week for about a month
as the little buggers lay eggs that hatch and start a new army.

Another weapon is to dust POTASH in same fashion.

Both the ammonia and the potash will kill and fertilize your plants as you apply.

All the Best, DMTech