[greenstan77]

hi all,

       Ive had a strange idea, im currently half way through creating my plot from a farmers field, i have 4 2x4m plots with raised beds as the drainage is poor, my question is with slugs, would i have more or less up a farm. if so i was thinking of running a small bead of wood glue on the edge of my timber (raised bed) then sprinkling chilli powder on the glue, would this deter the slugos? also i havent started any planting, sowing, chitting yet as im still preparing my plots. am i cutting it fine?
                           thanks for any replys.

[Steve.P]

Not sure if the chilli powder will do anything, but then anythings worth a try. Would be interesting to hear if it works. I have only potted up leeks, onions and cauliflower in the shed. Nothing planted out yet. Have not even brought my seed spuds yet.

[woodburner]

If it does work, (and I'd be interested in the results of trials ) I could be induced to growing some!   

[lacewing]

I used old electrical cable, I stripped off the ruber and stapled the copper wire on top of the raised beds, it works really well as the slugs will not cross the copper. It's a bit tedious stripping the wire but well worth the effort.

[sunshineband]

Wow Lacewing, this is a fab idea -- why has no-one ever thought of this before!! All I need to do know is find some old cable .....

Also I thought it was squirrels that you could deter with chilli powder, in bird food.

[Elcie]

Putting copper (or maybe Chilli!!) around the wood of raised beds will deter slugs from travelling over it.  The problem with slugs is that they will also come up through the soil so don't expect to get all of them.

[Parsnip]

Wow Lacewing, this is a fab idea -- why has no-one ever thought of this before!! All I need to do know is find some old cable .....

Also I thought it was squirrels that you could deter with chilli powder, in bird food.

Blimey Bird poo is bad enough without chilli in it...Poor dickie birds tummies..

[Stripey_cat]

I think only mammals register chilli as painful, so it probably wouldn't work on slugs unless it reacted chemically with the mucus.

[sunshineband]

Blimey  Bird poo is bad enough without chilli in it...Poor dickie birds tummies.. 

Don't worry - it's recommended by the RSPB so can't be too dreadful!!