Does Copper Tape

petunia100

really work on slugs and snails?

Don't want to buy loads if it doesn't.
Advice please.

harrys_nan

Not too sure to be honest, but rather than buy copper tape I bought some copper wire off Ebay to try( Lot cheaper) I have wrapped it around the legs on my seed stand in the greenhouse and so far no more eaten seedlings, just not sure if its a coincidence or not

adamg02

I used some of this a few years ago off ebay to protect some a few pots that had come in for a too much slug attention and definitely saw a good reduction in the slug numbers. If I recall it wasn’t 100% prevention (mostly only a few small slugs made it through) but certainly felt worthwhile.



I picked some more tape up recently at a pound/99p shop and will be using again shortly. So at this price it is quite cheap and a decent deterrent/alternative to pellets – worth a shot I would say.

fwor

My mum uses it to protect her Hostas, and it certainly seems to work.

Larger slug are able to "arch" their way over narrow sections (e.g. single rings of wire), so the best application on pots seems to be to dress it so that is formed over the rim of the pot - which is unfortunately a bid fiddly and time-consuming to do.

Outer_Limits

Have you tried smearing a band of vaseline round the top of pots? We find that works pretty well

Still get small ones through the holes in the bottom of the pot, of course.

Forgetful

I just take the copper out of old electrical wiring... Its just a cheaper way than to buy copper, when if u have some old wiring hanging around from a faulty appliance etc..

[Deleted User]

Forgetful is this something you have actually tried and succeeded with? I like your idea but if the slugs arch over the top you would have to do several layers on one tub to keep them at bay and wouldn't it slide down over time?

Don't mean to sound critical but just want to make sure your idea actually works before spending time and energy trying it.

As only today I was looking at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_5_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=copper+tape+for+slugs&sprefix=copper+t%2Caps%2C366
and was wondering if one was better than another.

GlynD

I used it to protect a hosta and it seemed to work well.

Forgetful

Deleted_User wrote: »

Forgetful is this something you have actually tried and succeeded with? I like your idea but if the slugs arch over the top you would have to do several layers on one tub to keep them at bay and wouldn't it slide down over time?

Don't mean to sound critical but just want to make sure your idea actually works before spending time and energy trying it.

As only today I was looking at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_5_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=copper+tape+for+slugs&sprefix=copper+t%2Caps%2C366
and was wondering if one was better than another.

Hi.. I have tried it in the past, and it seems to work... no slugs eating away at the leaves of my veggies..
B4 I used to get so many holes in my veggies... but looking at the prices on ur link.. its cheaper to buy the copper tape..but I do 2 rows of copper round my tubs and round the veggie beds...just in case the first doesnt keep them out...

DVardysShadow

Having found a slug once, it definitely did not like a copper pipe being placed across its path. I suspect their slime and the copper act as a battery and they don't like the small electric current which might arise.

floss2

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Having found a slug once, it definitely did not like a copper pipe being placed across its path. I suspect their slime and the copper act as a battery and they don't like the small electric current which might arise.

I know it works, but with the current price of metal & copper in particular, I can't afford to make my plot into a scrappie's haven by laying copper pipes around my beds! I'd need to install CCTV for security!