All my seedlings eaten at the allotment.

ixwood

Seedlings are quite vulnerable generally. Could you sow at home in small pots and then plant out when they're a bit bigger?

misskool

we've got a massive slug problem and are using nematodes this year as a trial. From all accounts, they work but they do cost £10/treatment which is quite a bit more than the blue pellets but less than some of the other alternatives around.

floyd

I am on my 3rd test of nematodes (got them one year, missed 1 as I wasn't growing anything then got them the next 2 years) and I am very pleased with the results on both slugs and snails.
Only one very hardy snail has made it alive onto one of my young lettuce and he only managed a half-hearted chomp of one leaf before dropping dead. On the plus side, even the dead ones are safe to give to the birds to eat.

I am happy to pay the extra because they are organic and dont harm the natural garden wildlife like some of the pellets can. Also they do last wuite a bit longer than the manufacturers say they do but I go with the planned program Green Gardener offer as they post them out when you need them so it takes the pain of trying to remember to order out of it

ginvzt

To those who use nematodes: I am thinking of trying them out in my garden, but I don't know if I should apple them to whole garden, or just the borders where I grow anything...

floyd

If you only do the bits where you grow stuff the slugs can carry on breeding in the other bits but chances are they will die when they move into the treated area. Doing all of the garden will reduce the population in the long run rather than the temporary control you will get by selectively treating.
If your garden is huge I would be tempted to only treat select areas as it could cost a fortune to do it all.

Wookey

I use salt, perhaps not the most kindest way to deal with them but its effective and instant, early morning or very late evening when the blighters still tend to be about. Also consider a raised bed and growing your more vulnerable stuff in it. One other thing that might draw them of is to keep a couple of compost bins on site.

Smoffi

Straw is very cheap ans slugs hate it...

Strips of wood which have a rough texture on them as well work (as far as I am trying this year)

katholicos

How very disappointing for you. I can certainly see how it would make you feel like giving up. Only you know whether you want to continue, but i do hope that some of the tips given here and the comments, will encourage you to rally against the little blighters and try once again.

stilernin

Wookey wrote: »

I use salt, perhaps not the most kindest way to deal with them but its effective and instant, .....

I remember an old boy at the allotment who used to go around his plot with a pair of scissors ... instant gratification isn't something new!

ginvzt

I tried salt last year, and managed to kill couple of plants as well - make sure you don't get any on the leaves... (or was it just me who manages to kill everything?)