seedlings being eaten!

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Penny Finn

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seedlings being eaten!
« on: April 15, 2009, 14:14 »
Have just pricked out loads of seedlings in my greenhouse.  Yesterday morning at least half of them had been eaten!  I had to  resort to 'slug killer' which I don't like doing and this morning there were half a dozen dead snails and various slug trails so they are obviously the culprits.  Any suggestions to protect the next lot?  Would be very grateful
Gardening Granny
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DD.

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2009, 14:54 »
Slug pellets! :tongue2: :lol:
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

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peapod

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2009, 16:04 »
As DD says...slug pellets, the only sure fire way Penny Im afraid
"I think the carrot infinitely more fascinating than the geranium. The carrot has mystery. Flowers are essentially tarts. Prostitutes for the bees. There is, you'll agree, a certain je ne sais quoi oh so very special about a firm young carrot" Withnail and I

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Kristen

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2009, 16:41 »
Hmmm ... I thought my Petunias had damped off - but at the time my first thought was that they had been eaten, but I couldn't think how - top shelf in a grow-house inside my conservatory ...

.. but reading this I remember finding a snail in the grow house :(

What do you think? (the couple that are left have been potted on and are still healthy 7-10 days after this photo was taken.
IMG_3941_PetuniaSeedlingDamage.jpg

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sunshineband

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2009, 16:42 »
Slug pellets do work but I hate the mess the slimy little devils leave as they die so I go off to the greenhouse every evening with my trusty torch  :D  to try to find as many as I can and get rid of them, before leaving the rest to their gluey fate. It does keep the numbers down and the mess.

That's just me though .. slug pellets work.
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Salmo

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2009, 17:07 »
There is no need to put many pellets down, just 2 or 3 at the base of a plant will usually protect it. The alternative is to put beer traps out. Collection by torchlight is effective for snails.

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sunshineband

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2009, 19:15 »
There is no need to put many pellets down, just 2 or 3 at the base of a plant will usually protect it. The alternative is to put beer traps out. Collection by torchlight is effective for snails.

and slugs!! Use a trowel for the bigguns and a tissue for the littlies to avoid the slime on your hands :tongue2: :tongue2:

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kermit

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2009, 19:22 »
Remember the hedgehogs though!  Beer trap's the better option imo, or at least the hedghog friendly pellets.

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sunshineband

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2009, 19:23 »
Remember the hedgehogs though!  Beer trap's the better option imo, or at least the hedghog friendly pellets.

I don't let hedghogs get in the greenhouse at night  :lol: :lol: :lol: especially up on the staging  :lol:

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emma178

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2009, 19:45 »
I am using glass jars planted into the ground containing a few inches of beer to attract the little horrors.  The idea is they come along, get attracted by the yeast smell and fall into the jar and drown.  Its working but it after a few days of drownded slugs and beer it doesn't smell too good!

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vortex444

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2009, 19:55 »
i have put some copper foil across the door at the bottom so far so good not too many slugs in the greenhouse...
I thought life was all rush then i got a allotment and i now love to just relax

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strangerachael

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2009, 20:14 »
I put beer traps round my newly planted out sunflowers - couldn't believe how many slugs were in there 2 days later! and the seedlings completely untouched - amazing. However, it is more difficult to use them in a greenhouse for obvious reasons. I had a snail infiltrate my greenhouse the other day but luckily I managed to find it and eject it, but not before it had chomped down a couple of brocolli seedlings.
Have a good look round under pots and staging etc regularly to make sure there aren't any hiding and use slug pellets as a last resort. They can't do too much damage in a greenhouse can they?
Rachael

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Jay Dubya

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2009, 20:21 »
Hi, if it wasn't for slug pellets i'd be organic!! oh well. But i can't find anything else that does the trick.

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Lady Lottie

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2009, 20:29 »
Hi, if it wasn't for slug pellets i'd be organic!! oh well. But i can't find anything else that does the trick.

I am being naive in thinking that Growing Success slug pellets "for organic use" really aren't then??    I must admit I don't "feel" organic using them....if you know what I mean... :unsure: :blush:

It says its "advanced", its "certified for organic use" and safe for pets and wildlife and children.  I hate using slug pellets by I've got to do something to save my weedy, wobbly little spinach seedlings.  Will wait a couple of days to see if they actually work mind you, I've only just sprinkled them around the plants these evening.
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peapod

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Re: seedlings being eaten!
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2009, 20:32 »
Hi, if it wasn't for slug pellets i'd be organic!! oh well. But i can't find anything else that does the trick.

Same here Jay



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