Slug gone? Sadly not...

I've used them to mulch my hanging basket toms in the polytunnel. No sign of slugs and they certianly help keep the moisture in the baskets. Unfortunately on the hotter days they smell like wet sheep.

I tried them without success too Florablunder.    I have tried nematodes with no success either.  I now use the non blue ferric pellets to protect very young plants just after planting out if I am using enviromesh.

Other than that the plants take their chance.  This year seems not too bad, but it has been quite dry lately.

I've done the copper thing in the past with little effect. The best defence is to plants vulnerable seedlings well away from shelter/bus stops for slugs. We've been lucky so far with the dry weather, and I find wood chip paths help a tad. I'm trialling an organic slug gel that is a barrier method rather than a bait, but I'm not hopeful, given the poor efficacy of the organic slug pellets that turn to fertiliser ( magic bullet ). I have already deployed a very few original slug pellets around things that really matter, like my sunflowers that slugs just won't leave alone without a few of the bad boys.
I still believe environmental design is the best way forward, but it can be so time intensive.
One more thing. I have found slugs aren't never ending hordes. If you cull a few one night, that seems to stop the whole thing for at least 10 days. Very very few pellets needed.

Would a layer of bark chippings help especially in dry weather as they would be rather harsh to slime over when dry? They can deplete the soil of nitrogen as they decompose but a bit of feed would solve that. Putting any preventative measures by the stem doesn't help when the leaves spread out and get near the ground so perhaps some sort of collar around the stem to hold it up?

The RHS is conducting experiments to find out how effective (or not) 5 different non-chemical slug deterrents are - the bad news is that the results won't be available until the autumn:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44357663

I had hopes that the relatively harsh winter would have reduced the slug and snail numbers in my garden somewhat, but unfortunately the surrounding privet hedges seem to provide the perfect shelter and breeding ground for them, and numbers this year are as high as ever. 

Barrier methods don't work for me, especially when they get wet - it's no use perhaps deterring the odd one when there are armies of them slithering out of the hedges towards my veg beds whenever it's damp.