Snail & Slug Help

Mrs_PI

I seem to be infested with slugs and snails and need help

I picked 14 snails off one poor plant today.

I have the trap thing set up with salt water in one and beer in the other

I have brought some gel stuff which you pour round the plant to create a barrier

I cant use the pellets as cats are about

I have sprinkled a white stone like material round which is supposed to help

But nothing is!!!! My plants are being eaten big time

What can I use, I pick off where I can but need some help please

Please note all my plants are in pots as its a gravelled area, I dont know if that helps at all

oliveoyl

There are some new slug pellets on the market that are organic and safe to use with pets/wildlife/children... Wilkinsons sell it for £3.49 this is what you're looking for http://www.monrobrands.com/growingsuccess/detail.php?category=Slug_control&pageNum_Recordset1=0

chez22

I also have problems with slugs and snails, I hated using the pellets but they seemed to be the only thing that worked. This year I have been using 'Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer'. It is slug pellets that are safe for pets and wild birds and it is also certified for organic use. None of my plants have been touched so far.
The cheapest place I have found to buy it is Wilkos but you can get it in Homebase, B & Q and garden centres.

Wig

I have my doubts about "Growing Success - organic use" it contains Ferric Phosphate.

I know it has been granted "organic use " certificates, but that (in my books) does not equal that it is totally safe. I want to know how toxic this stuff is. But have not found any data or information on that. I remember a debate on TV about organic farming, and someone who's opinion was that organic was not all it appeared said that the use of phosphates was not safe. Unfortunately I don't have any further info on that.

All I'm saying is we may be having the wool pulled over our eyes, and it is important to know the facts not blindly believe the speil.

There is one very effective safe/harmless method of trapping slugs. Yoghurt pots with beer/cider in them. Put the pots with the top edge 1cm above soil level, then you won't catch beetles.

Using the cheapest beer/cider from supermarkets. I catch about 10 slugs in every pot every night until the slug population is under control, then you don't catch many more after that. I fish them out when I can and leave them on a stone for the sun to finish them off, and the birds take them from there aswell. At least I don't have to worry about the birds eating them. And obviously change the beer every few days to a week. *However, I have found that they don't like the cheap tesco cider very much, I think I'll change it back to cheap tesco beer (I think it was bitter that worked well). Oh and also tonight I found a large slug crawling out of the yougurt pot, I knocked it back in and 2 minutes later he was crawling away again, so I knifed him. It seems yoghurt pots are not 100%

Before the beer I used to go out with a knife and a torch. And I find that a knife and torch is a very effective method but very time consuming. So yoghurt pots and beer is the the next best method.

Farway

Just drink the beer and you will not care about the slugs :-)

dovobet

I keep my egg shells and after washing and drying well i crush them into
roughly 5 mm pieces, scatter them round my beds, slugs and snails dont like crawling over these as they have sensitive bodies,
a few get past but most are detered.
Cant take credit for this as i learned it from this site.;)

buxtonrabbitgreen

I remember someone saying that coppper strip around the pots stops slugs crawling in. That might do you if your plants are all in pots.

Dave101t

i was going to ask how to find my elusive snail that has nibbled most my veg, i have found 1 adult and one baby in the last month, but thats it! maybe im lucky..?