[lewishamsarah]

I am now planning my second growing season but don't know what to do about the way at least half of what I grow is totally eaten by something - I assume slugs.

I've tried getting the plants big before I plant them out, eggshells, garlic pellets, organic slug killer, but all without success. My French beans were 4 feet tall then I turned up one day and they were completely gone. My only successes were broad beans and potatoes really, plus some salady things.

I don't mind sharing my stuff with the local wildlife, but I seem to be losing out altogether.

Does anyone have any suggestions please? Ideally I would like someone to come and have a look and would be prepared to pay expenses+ or exchange for half a day's digging or something. Or do you know of any London-based experts I could hire?

Many thanks!

[Steve.P]

I have had problems with both pigeons and caterpillars. Pigeons love young plants, caterpillars totally trashed the rest. Have a look around for evidence of animals. Rabbit droppings and such. There are members on here from the london area who i'm sure will help you out. But most off all net, net, net.

[Stripey_cat]

Slugs are little *.  If you have a really high population (and last summer was so wet they were everywhere) you need to set traps, and go out with a torch every evening and pick them off by hand.

[Steve.P]

I was going to try beer traps for the slugs, but could not save enough

[azubah]

I usually use the blue slug pellets, but they are no good if it rains. I am intending to save all our beer tins and make beer traps. Don't tell Steve.P where I live or he might visit with a straw.

[Steve.P]

Oh go on. I wont take much, and i wont eat your plants

[Duracell]

I have terrible trouble with the slugs. My kids love making and inspecting the beer traps. It is a little morbid watching a six year old declare that we got loads last night but worth it to save the edibles.

I have beds surrounded (mostly) by concrete and they like to hide under the concrete I think so I am trying to come up with a cunning plan to protect the beds for next year. Like a substrate that is cheap and good for the soil but they cant slither across.  Any advice gratefully received.

I feel for you though it is horrible to arrive in the plot to see your crop decimated.

[Steve.P]

I have heard that they dont like to cross broken egg shells, salt, sand. But have never tried any of these so dont quote me.

[Duracell]

Yeah, I tried egg shells last year but it was difficult to keep it up as we dont eat many eggs and I dont think I put down a thick enough layer. I think I may try the sand this year as I have clay soil so i can just dig it in at the end of the bed's season  I too am still researching this though.

[shaun]

i just use slug pellets,you can try everything in the book but the slugs will beat you

[Trillium]

The 4 ft tall beans disappearing sounds more like pigeons so the suggested netting is also very important as well as slug pellets. It's also possible that you have 2-footed pests.

[pushrod]

copper rings and parasitic nematodes are two other possibilities or my favourite on warm wet nights are a strong torch and a pair of scissors. A few years back i had some ducks roaming the garden and they really decimated the slug and snail population and tbh they have never come back in any numbers.

[Ice]

Netting and proper slug pellets.  Werks fer me.

[upert]

slug pellets are harmful to the friendly wildlife and i've really gone off them. i use eggshell, soon to be oystershell, around plants. beer traps; though you need a fair bit of beer over the season - i cut up a plastic bottle leaving a 'roof' on it to keep the rain out, i trap a lot of beetles too which is not good. buy v cheap bitter for this. copper products are too expensive though it's a dream of mine to get some free copper pipe and bend it around my beds.

a lot of these defences are broached by the slugs anyway, you'll always have to write off a few plants.

pigeons need to be netted against, rabbits need stronger netting and this should be buried a bit so they don't dig under. usually they hop along to the next nearest meal when they see netting though.

nematodes are supposed to be v good. try at least one application before committing to a season long program.

[Ice]

What friendly wildlife is that Upert?