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slugs and snails
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Message 1.Â
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Watched the bit on GW last night about comfrey leaves around hostas- seems like a nice idea- might be ok -if you have this or have used any of the other solutions I have seen over the years .
I only have three solutions-
lob them over into next-doors garden,
feed them to the chickens who the run round like they have just won the FA cup with their trophy
use the little blue pellets (I know may God strike me down - but surely I am not alone)
Your thoughts please -remember we are all in this together. -
Message 2
Posted by Lady J (U14432262) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
I'm very new to this but have not noticed any real damage from slugs or snails thus far. Either I am coincidentally choosing plants they don't like (don't think it can be this as I have a few types of lettuce growing) or something else is keeping them at bay for me. I have a large number of birds either visiting my garden to feed on the seed I put out for them every now and again or nesting and raising young in the garden that has quite a few good places for nests. I have been thinking the birds are earning their keep by eating any snail or slug they can find. I also have pheasants wandering about so after your comment about chickens I expect they are also pitching in. Would love to hear other thoughts on this.
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Message 3
Posted by anothergardener (U14387447) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
I hope by 'little blue pellets' you mean the wildlife friendly ones, otherwise the chickens might not live long.
Lady J, it's the time of year and the dry weather, the slugs will be getting busy in another week or two if the rain comes as promised.
I don't worry too much about slug damage but I have used nematodes, (google nemaslug) on the strawberry bed and it would also be good if you grow a lot of salad leaves and the like. Not cheap, especially if you only need it for a small area. -
Message 4
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
TBH, I go out in the evening after it's been wet with a torch and pair of scissors.
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Message 5
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
TBH, I go out in the evening after it's been wet with a torch and pair of scissors. The best ever kept Hostas I have ever seen where achieved by this method.
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Message 6
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
I think you've hit the nail on the head regarding one of the biggest problems with the present GW.... A lack of information on serious issues that amateur gardeners and growers experience in their gardens and allotments. Issues that can often lead to people giving up (like my sister has!!)
There's a wealth of knowledge from experts that the producers could tap into and from my experience is provided totally free. So why don't they build this into the programme.
A topical pest/ disease or other growing problem could be a regular 4 minute slot on the programme delivered by someone who knows what they are talking about. The RHS folk at Wisley for example would I'm sure jump at the opportunity as would my OH who is often asked to talk about plant pest issues on a wide range of TV & Radio shows (and never charged or be offered a payment by any!).
Maybe it's because products might have to mentioned if this was done properly, but surely an impartial review by an independent expert wouldn't compromise the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's rules on advertising...
I wouldt mind betting that the new Horticultural Channel TV will cover slugs and snails soon and we'll all get to know about entomopathogenic nematodes, ferrous sulphate, mollusc shocking material, metaldehyde and diatomaceous earth (to name a few!) -
Message 7
Posted by Swanny (U6386149) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Hi,
A couple of years ago there was a programme about Hostas and slug damage. The gardener had discovered a way of deterring slugs, she used a garlic wash and went so far as to state that she had had no problems with said slugs ever since. I include the recipe here for anyone who wishes to use it....It certainly works for me:
Garlic Wash Recipe
Ingredients
2 Bulbs Garlic
2 Pints Water
Instructions
Crush 2 bulbs of garlic
Steam or boil in 2 pints of water for 3 to 4 minutes until blanched
Strain mixture and make back up to 2 pints
Leave to cool
When ready to use, mix one tablespoon into a gallon (3.8 litres) of water. Sprinkle on to leaves in late afternoon (in dry weather). Reapply every two weeks.
The mixture will apparently dry on the leaves making them rather unappealing to slugs and snails! -
Message 8
Posted by TomBradbury (U3349234) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
And if the snails eat the Hostas, you have ready made Garlic Snails - just add a bit of butter and voila.....Beurre d'escargot! Yum!
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Message 9
Posted by Mal (U14860299) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
When I grew courgettes last year, I did something similar. I sewed a few trays of salad leaves and when it was time to put out the courgettes, I planted a tray of salad leaves nearby - replacing them with more as they disappeared. That, combined with surrounding the courgette plants with cut plastic bottles, gave them enough time to become established.
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Message 10
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Yes there's quite a few home formulations that seem to work. The only problem is it's illegal to use anything for controlling pests that hasn't been registered through DEFRA-CRD.
Quite a bizarre rule when it involves food-grade ingredients but you can understand why when a lot of things can be highly poisonous.
There's a good article on this here: -
Message 11
Posted by anothergardener (U14387447) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
I'm sure that in one of Monty's previous GW series they did a trial on slug damage prevention, they could just dig the archive footage out and show it again.
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Message 12
Posted by Lelliegoggs (U14833611) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
I doubt many people would have Comfrey growing in their garden anyway. I don't have room for it in my garden, although I grow some on the allotment to make a feed. A lot of people will buy their plants from garden centres or DIY shops and then buy those horrible blue slug pellets to kill the slugs and snails eating their plants. They don't read the instructions and think the more the better and turn the earth blue. Monty could have linked a warning about the dangers of slug pellets when introducing Carol's visit to the wildlife garden.
GW did used to show a lot of products, but with the container turned around so you couldn't see the name! Pippa Greenwood used to do pests and diseases on GW but of course now she's on GQT.
I haven't been watching GW for the last few weeks because it was annoying me so much, but I watched last night because the TV guide said Monty would be dealing with a sunny, dry area, which I was interested in. All he did was dig up an old Rosemary and plant a new one, so I think it's back to Beechwood for me . -
Message 13
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Yes, I remember the days of Pippa Greenwood, but I wonder if she'd be quite costly to have on the show.
I see she charges £9.99 to answer a question within 2 days on her website
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Message 14
Posted by Lowena (U14575314) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Slug pellets are not dangerous to wildlife.Nothing eats dead slugs, and the colour/initial taste puts them off the pellets.It says so quite clearly on the carton
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Message 15
Posted by ellenkay (U11471453) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
honestGreengrass, surely people such as your sister do not give up gardening due to lack of info on a TV programme. Have they not heard of the internet? The RHS has a very good informative site and there are some very good allotment websites too. I could also point out that there are many good gardening books available.
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Message 16
Posted by ellenkay (U11471453) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
I think that lobbing them over to next door's garden is a very good idea! I have found though that I can grow very good hostas in pots if I smear vaseline around the top of the pot. This prevents them from crossing over the top and Monty also mentioned this last night.
Another method which I have good results with is to sprinkle bran around vulnerable crops such as lettuces. This works in two ways, 1. It acts as a barrier which they cannot cross and 2. They will eat the bran which causes their bodies to swell and they are unable to eat anything else. -
Message 17
Posted by Lelliegoggs (U14833611) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Thanks for the reminder about bran. I wanted to try bran around my lettuces last year but I couldn't find any. I used to get bran from pet shops but they don't sell it any more. Where did you get your bran from?
I've heard that fine sawdust sprinkled around plants is supposed to be a good barrier because slugs and snails don't like going on it, but I couldn't get any fine sawdust either. It's bad for animals because the dust irritates their lungs, so pet shops don't sell it now. The woodchip you can buy in pet shops is no good because it's too large. -
Message 18
Posted by ellenkay (U11471453) on Saturday, 7th May 2011
Hi Lelliegoggs, I get my bran from the supermarket or health food shop. Good luck.
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Message 19
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Sunday, 8th May 2011
Slug pellets are not dangerous to wildlife.Nothing eats dead slugs, and the colour/initial taste puts them off the pellets.It says so quite clearly on the carton " It says it on the carton"-I sense a confession here-go on admit it-you will feel better- you also use "little blue pellets"- that's it-
And now we can rot in hell together. -
Message 20
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Sunday, 8th May 2011
GROWING SUCCESS slug pellets have been a god send this year, my hosta sieboldiana elegans is double the size compared to last year, beautiful. my primula alpicola are flowering in a gorgeous blue, the lettuce (free with gw magazine) are bulking up nicely. this time last year i gave up. everything was destroyed.
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Message 21
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Sunday, 8th May 2011
Just wait until the rain becomes more frequent
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Message 22
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Sunday, 8th May 2011
The slug army will never be defeated......
I also remember the slug trial at Berryfields Alys use to collect waste coffee on her bike from her local coffe shop, they also used eggshells,grit,and organic slug pellets as well plus other some other methods that I can no longer remember... -
Message 23
Posted by seonag1 (U14476426) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011
Do you know anyone with horses? You could try a local ridding school they may be able to sell you some bran. You could ofcourse buy it from a feed merchants but as it come in 20kg bag ( around £6 - £8 a bags), the amount of bran might be would be a wee bit excesive unless you are getting it with a group of friends ( oh and it will start to go a bit moldy after about a year so keeping it isn't a good idea).
J -
Message 24
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011
Oats is supposed to kill them too. From what I have read, it makes them swell and explode!
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Message 25
Posted by jauntycyclist (U14199772) on Thursday, 19th May 2011
yes its been dry this year so slugs aren't about as much yet
slugs and snails are cannibals and would rather eat each other than the plants. so just go out and kill a few and leave them. in the morning you will find more gorging on those killed the night before. do the same to them until no more come. then you will find the population has been kept to a reasonable level.
i also leave soft weeds until the plants i want are hardened up. if you take out the alternative food source then they have to go for your plants if you like it or not.
its not illegal to use home made recipes for garden problems only to sell them or promote the recipes in the eu [hence nothing on GW or any other show] . its a way to keep people in the dark about the free chemistry set in their garden and so make money for the pharma multinationals. Knowledge is money. Make people ignorant and get rich. however the internet keeps these recipes alive. i am stunned how many people don't know these recipes anymore and think they must buy something. -
Message 26
Posted by jauntycyclist (U14199772) on Thursday, 19th May 2011
correction. it is now illegal to make your own.
So to make your own washing up liquid to spray is a criminal offence that could have you on the same wing as terrorists in belmarsh. -
Message 27
Posted by Tia_Maria (U14433260) on Sunday, 22nd May 2011
Another option
LET THEM WIN LOL
I HAVE GIVEN UP
What can I grow that they don't like.
I KNOW --They don't like geraniums
anything else??? -
Message 28
Posted by ladynovicegardener (U5368058) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
I've read somewhere that they don't like Astrantia. I must say I've grown them for years and never had a nibble.
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Message 29
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
Chives. Apparently they don't like the smell of it.
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Message 30
Posted by darren p (U8518743) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
astrantia are fair game to slugs and snails! mine get destroyed .
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Message 31
Posted by Boofer (U3709461) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
My white Astrantia is left alone but the red and pink ones I've tried vanish over night.
Slugs and snails here generally home in on my more expensive purchases (or anything that could be classed as unusual) so do benefit my purse if nothing else. -
Message 32
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
They seem to have set their beady eyes on my cucumber plans. Only one has leaves!
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Message 33
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
Now that the drought is finally breaking, the slugs and snails will be out with a vengeance... They've got a lot of catching up to do
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Message 34
Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Thursday, 26th May 2011
Went out on a hunt for the evil critters tonight but found none so it is currently a draw.
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