[Politics] War on Slugs

[KeegansHairPiece]

Attract birds/hedgehogs into the garden.

Absolutely take a holistic approach to attracting the creatures that naturally deal with the pests. Toads, frogs, beetles, birds, hedgehogs all prey on slugs, so make the garden friendly to all of those attracting them in.

Adding salt even in small amounts to your soil in planted areas is really counter productive overall.

A few other natural ideas:

Crush your empty egg shells, sprinkle those out - slugs do not like going over sharp edges. The egg shells will compost down over time. You can also use crushed nut shells if you eat lots of nuts.

Plant a few slug repelling plants; wormwood, rue, fennel, anise, and rosemary all repel the slimy pests.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Beer traps are the only effective way that I have found.

Trouble is you have to clean them out and refresh the beer every day.

Slugs dance on my copper wire and party with my pellets

And the beer goes flat

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

What did the slug say to the snail?

"Big Issue?"

Sorry....

 

[AmexRuislip]

Salt?
Copper bands?
Pellets?

How/what do you do to prevent? Most effective means please. Like the bomber, it seems the slug will always get through. The slimes have even got into the kitchen via air bricks. I need to send a message. Lawn, hedges and garage areas is ok. But stay off the patio. Don’t go near the veg or fruit. Or even think about coming in the house!

We've tried all the usual stuff even used napalm, but that didn't go down to well with other plot holders.
Try oranges cut in half, it does work

 

[Guinness Boy]

What did the slug say to the snail?

"Big Issue?"

Sorry....

Bloke goes to a fancy dress party and spends all night giving his girlfriend a piggy back around the venue.

Someone finally has to ask him what he's come as, to which he delightedly replies "I'm a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle......and this is Michelle"

 

[The Fifth Column]

It's been quite a wet and not overly hot Summer. Slug and snail heaven, hence why they've been busier than usual.

I still refuse to use slug pellets though, because of the effect on other wildlife. Those things should be banned.

The good news is that metaldehyde, which is the active ingredient in many slug pellets, is due to be banned in 2022 by the government due to environmental concerns for wildlife. Pellets containing ferric phosphate are much less toxic and generally safe to use albeit sparingly

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

Used to snail race back in the day. To make them go faster, used take their shell off, but found it only made them more sluggish

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The good news is that metaldehyde, which is the active ingredient in many slug pellets, is due to be banned in 2022 by the government due to environmental concerns for wildlife. Pellets containing ferric phosphate are much less toxic and generally safe to use albeit sparingly

Indeed. Can't buy metaldehyde round our way. I use the ferric shite, plus coffee grounds and that. But I also creep around my garden every night with a sharp knife.....

 

[Coldeanseagull]

This is a subject that annually does the rounds on most, if not all gardening forums. I've tried every suggestion but I still come back to the pellets. Gastropods are attracted to them, so spread them out. The more you put down, the more slugs and snails you'll attract.
I've had success in pots with coffee grounds and I'm trialling epsom salts at the moment with limited results. A bucket of salty water and a nightly excursion to collect as many as you can will reduce the population.
Wildlife? I have hedgehogs, frogs, slowworms and birds(no thrushes) in abundance, foxes also eat them.
I've made so many weird and wonderful potions with smelly herbs, that my garden smells like an old ladies knicker drawer.
Back on the pellets again

 

[razer]

I suspend my seed modules and trays from the middle support bars in the polytunnel. One thing the little feckers can't do is fly.

It gives the plants more time to get established and the bigger the plant, the easier it can recover from any slug damage.

 

[Acker79]

https://youtu.be/wN94Jp1YwAE

 

[Dick Swiveller]

War against slugs? Just say slow. Get some backbone.

 

[osgood]

drop them in a bowl with some Jeyes fluid solution ( in it 1-10 parts water ), they rarely climb out

 

[FamilyGuy]

Torch and a bucket of salty water - and frequent nocturnal hunting.
Tongs and/or rubber gloves optional.

Secateurs work too, and the local wildlife can still feast on the remains.

 

[portlock seagull]

If the bloody hedgehogs did their jobs, we wouldn't need slug pellets!

But we killed all the hedgehogs

 

[GT49er]

Hedgehogs (bless their little main road crossing brains) are in decline; I haven't seen a thrush for what, 20 years, 30? Is it not possible to have some breedibg projects for these creayures, like we are begged in daytime TV to do for the tiger, the snow leopard or whatever?

I'd be happy to pay good money for a couple of hedgehogs (and let them loose in an area where they could have a good walkabout without crossing a main road (although main roads are available for those with a suicidal bent)) and I've got a hedge quite big enough for a couple of pairs of thrushes to nest in, if only they had the sense to realise I'd feed them quite happily if ever the supply of slugs ran out!

 

[portlock seagull]

hunted down a few recently, they drank all the beer and slid away . . . . had to recapture and vwent for a generous dusting of dishwasher salt. ****ers have decimated loads of stuff in the garden this year.

View attachment 140679

Stuff of nightmares!!

 

[GT49er]

But we killed all the hedgehogs

Speak for yourself! I've never killed a hedhehog in my life - I've happily fed a few though, and rescued at least one trapped one (well, just the one actually).

 

[portlock seagull]

Speak for yourself! I've never killed a hedhehog in my life - I've happily fed a few though, and rescued at least one trapped one (well, just the one actually).

No, “we” as in human beings as a collective. Thought that was obvious, we’ve gone from something like 75 million in the 70s to just 2 million hedgehogs today and declining still. Habitat loss etc