Slugs...aaargh

madhouseof4

Can you buy nemaslug from normal diy stores with garden centers like homebase or B&Q or will I have to order them specially? I would probably give the beer a go, but ds is allergic to wheat so best not leave it lying around, same with egg shells. I am getting quite downhearted as my broccoli and sprout plants have almost all disappeared, bar 1. My peas and beans are being decimated as well.

[Deleted User]

I got an organically certified pack of slug pellets after the little bleeders had decimated my dahlia shoots. It's Advanced Slug Killer from Growing Success and only targets slugs and can be used for food crops. Got it from Homebase but have also seen it in other shops and on the web. Hope you have some success.

moonrakerz

Most of the slug damage isn't caused by the big black/orange ones you see, it's the little grey ones that you don't see.

We used nematodes for couple of years (not multiple applications as they say !) that seemed to hit them hard. Since then we have used nothing, other than a sharp hoe, if we see any. We don't use any chemicals at all and the garden is now full of birds, toads, frogs and slow worms - slugs are not a big problem at all anymore.
If we did start getting problems again I would just go for one more dose of nematodes.

exlibris

I breed slugs in my compost bin! A friend went to a local Gardener's Question Time last week and asked what I could do. The advice seemed to be that they were harmless while they were in there but if I wanted to get rid I should hand pick them into a bucket and "chuck them over the neighbours fence" LOL

They also said that to use salt was messy and on no account to put pellets into the compost.

I suspect that when the compost is used I am spreading unseen slugs and their eggs? on my garden anyway.

Unless anyone has any other ideas I guess I will hand pick into a bucket and then salt them. The messy bucket can be washed under the water butt and the contents put down the drain. I don't think this will be too problematic for the drainage system.

noonesperfect

Hi all,

I guess with these warmish wet nights it's slugs that's eating the leaves on my cucumber and pepper plants (though not tomaties for some reason ).

Any ideas for dissuading (sp) them without using slug pellets?

JCD_Capulet

Found a link to some info for you, hope it helps
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2876862

katskorner

grit around your plants - make sure the grit reaches further away than the laeves or they will climb the leaves and eat them!

noonesperfect

Well hopefully the little blighters won't both my plants now. I've cut the lowest leaves off the peppers and put grit (nice and sharp, the type roofers use) in all the pots - don't think they will bother now!

I actually picked off 5 of the little devils with my bare hands :eek: before gritting.

Errata

If all else fails, poison the slimey little """""""""" 's

Lord_Gardener

A smear a petroleum jelly around the pots does it for us!