Slugs...

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Anyone else having a problem with slugs at the moment.

We seem to have an attack of the big grey ones with orange skirts along the bottom (oo-er for the fashion).

One the other night must have been around 10cm long.

They're demolishing our pansys and A N Other (Mrs SB1 knows what they've called), and also started nibbling out our broom bush thingy.

Trouble is, all the flowers that they're attacking are either growing through chipped bark or in pots on the chipped bark. With a little-un (child that is) and a cat, and with the floor type, not too keen on putting any slugger killer on (and yes, unlike foxes, they need to DIE!).

But slightly off topic there.

Anyone else having problems with these? We didnt seem to have them since we mvoed here, but this year (at a guess, due to the rain) they out in they're party frocks and munching away.

[Mondy]

They like salt

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

A-ha! I hadnt thought of that.

They can have the table salt...the sea salt tastes too good.

Do you think if I got some cocktail sticks, put each one I found on one, stuck them in the lawn, it would scare off the other ones?

Edited August 5, 2009 by Shiny_Bottom_1

[CardiffStorm]

A-ha! I hadnt thought of that.

They can have the table salt...the sea salt tastes too good.

Do you think if I got some cocktail sticks, put each one I found on one, stuck them in the lawn, it would scare off the other ones?

Sounds good but dont think it'll work.

Double sided tape with salt on one side and then stick the tape around the rim of the pot, should do the job.

[TheGardener]

Sounds good but dont think it'll work.

Double sided tape with salt on one side and then stick the tape around the rim of the pot, should do the job.

I have seen on an organic site that you are supposed to collect as many snails and slugs and put them in a blender and spread the remains around your garden it supposed to put them off.

Many years ago it was copper strips that were used around the borders as this reacted against their slime trail and they would not cross this. Their are other things that are nore organic such as nematodes.

[Osbourne One-Nil]

I'd call nematodes an organic method myself. I'd certainly prefer them over chemicals. I did try them once but I'm not sure how successful they were. I think you have to be very specific when you apply the treatment and hope that they reach the slugs at the right time (before they start laying eggs).

The best method I find is slug traps, or dishes, buried to be flush with the soil and filled with bitter and a couple of tablespoons of salt. This finishes them off pretty quickly and you can collect dozens per trap per night like that. I also sometimes go out with a torch on a clear night, and simply pick them up and drop them in a bucket of salty water. I've got well over a hundred in a short space of time before now, but I do tend to leave the very big ones as I understand they simply eat dead leaf litter, and not living plants; i leave them to the toads and the hedgehogs.

I have also put copper tape across the threshold strips to the house to stop the big stripey ones coming in and eating the cat food....I really hate seeing their trails on the carpet in the morning.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Had one sneek in through the back door the other night OON. Flushed down the toilet...I guess I thought I would give it a 'log flume' stype exit.

I think I might give the salt and collection pot a go.

Its strange what you say about the big ones, albeit logical. Its the big ones which are eating the live matter on the plants.

[valiant]

Some slugs eat your plants - others eat dead stuff and help break down your compost heap. It's easy to assume that the big buggers are the worst .. but they just might be the most beneficial.

If a particular plant is getting hammered, go out with a torch in damp weather and pick them off - or use an organic method to hit that particular area. I'm all for making it difficult for them by using grit/gravel and keeping a dry area around the plants. I find that growing your favourite plants in pots helps protect them against slugs.

Make your garden "toad friendly" http://www.wildlifeg...ads-garden.html

Edited August 6, 2009 by valiant

[Roo]

Oh yes....we certainly know the fashionistas of the slug world.

1) Go slug lamping... ours like flying lessons.

2) Choose slug resistant plants (not that I like them anyway, but Hostas would last under a minute in our garden) or underplant with small leafed stuff (they don't seem to like that)

3) Get yourself a frog (we have one that lives at the end of the garden and we never have any problems around the area where he lives.)

Oh and don't get the huge black ones....they are apparently the good guys.

Failing that, you could always get a pack of horse and hounds to trample your garden, thus removing the plants! Problem solved.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Funny you should mention toads.

About 5 minutes ago, whilst doing my daily shredding, I heard some squeeking. Went out the back door to find my car trying to play with a toad. Hopefully its gone now, but a good sign (we did see some very small frogs/toads the other night jumping around).

[Roo]

Funny you should mention toads.

About 5 minutes ago, whilst doing my daily shredding, I heard some squeeking. Went out the back door to find my car trying to play with a toad.

Awww...I always love it when our Peugeot decides to play with wildlife!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Oh bugger

I should have put bike No...your right. Stoopid cat.