slugs snails caterpillars and aphids

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rowlandwells

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slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« on: September 13, 2021, 19:18 »
its been a bad year here on the allotments for slugs snails and caterpillars and aphid infestation as I'm sure it has been for many of you although spraying crops has reduced damage  its not 100% full proof and when we  seem to overcome some of the caterpillar problems on our brassicas  its slugs that take over not to mention the aphids so after some thought i think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and invest in some anti-aphid netting smaller mesh together with a good brand of slug pellets

because I think that's the only way i can see us getting a good crop of brassicas and other crops i haven't costed what this net mite cost us but i suspect its not going to be a cheap option i just hope this netting will have several years ware we have already used this type of netting on our carrot crops and its proved to work ok but I'm not sure if this type of netting stands up to the winter weather?

not sure  about what slug pellets to use still looking into that obviously we are looking at next season and  to spread the cost by buying these in the winter months ready for spring next year

any info or comments on what I'm proposing to do would be most helpful RW


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snowdrops

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2021, 07:55 »
Hi there , if you’re referring to enviromesh? It stands up to the winter weather, I’ve still got my original piece & it’s over 20 years old if not 25 years. I’ve patched it a bit now but that’s down to me making holes in it. I’ve left it out through the winter many times over plants etc. Well worth the investment. I’ve just bought some more from our garden clubs shop & sewn it together to get the width for my hoops over my leeks & will do the same for my carrots next year as I think my original piece has a few too many bigger holes in it now to guarantee the safety of the carrots lol
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lettice

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2021, 09:41 »
Must admit, for slugs and snails, its been a year of very little trouble, probably the best year I've ever known.

Not really done anything different this year.
The nightly trips with a torch after a damp and rainy spell, home-made nematodes down as I usually do for the slugs across all the beds.
Replacing copper strips around all the pots of veg.
Yeast traps all over the plot. Mind these have been lacking slugs and snails as much as usual.
It shows, as have struggled this year to gather many slugs and snails at night to fill up my nematode buckets this year. 

Never really suffer much from blackfly or aphids, but am always told that is a coastal thing.
Do get a slight trickle early season on the early flowering broad beans, but a quick nip of the tops and a few sprays of soap and water always cures it for the rest of the growing season.
Always had plenty of ladybirds here over the years and assume as is known they do a good job.

Do not really cover much in my veg plots.
Do not grow a lot of brassicas, except Kale, Chard and Spinach, but they have always seemed immune to any attack.

The sprouts though are different matter. I do not cover them with netting.
Am always on the lookout, especially when the butterfiles start flying around. Still use my fake butterflies, I'm convinced they deter them. If they do land on the rare occasion, rub the eggs off quickly. Do inspect each plant daily.
There did seem to be a lot of butterflies flying around during August here, but not seen any this month, so ended early. My methods deterred them well again this year.

Have grown marigolds (my saved seed) for years and have them growing all around the plot. It for me does seem to deter many pests. They look lovely, flower from mid Spring till late Autumn and so easy to grow.

I have used the same netting for decades to top off my carrot pots, to stop anything digging in the pots and to deter carrot fly. Not that I've ever noticed an attack.
Gets used as a cover over the raised beds to protect the young plants getting dug up by my cats and foxes.
Especially for the early growing of leeks, turnips and new potatoes. The cover comes off when the plants take over the bed.

The netting I use is as good now as its always been. Its Yuzet green debris netting.
I use it as permanent wind and divider breaks around my sprouts and broad beans and they have stayed true through all the wind and all that the weather that gets thrown at the netting all year round.
« Last Edit: September 14, 2021, 09:45 by lettice »

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rowlandwells

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2021, 10:27 »
I like your replies because that's given me more re-assurance what's the best methods to overcome these  problems with these pests to achieve better results with our crops especially brassicas

 talking of brassicas we had a lovely crop of curly kale that was infested with aphids that ended up on the compost heap and the other brassicas looked like fisherman's net it just seemed a waste of our time and effort to raise them from seed pot them on in the tunnel then plant out in perfect condition only to find them spoiled by damn insects  :mad: so i take on board what you both have replied to and that truly makes good cense

and following on from that we are definitely going to invest in enviromesh for next season many thanks for your replies RW

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al78

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2021, 11:00 »
Must admit, for slugs and snails, its been a year of very little trouble, probably the best year I've ever known.

Lucky you. It has been one of the worst years for mollusc damage for me. Lots of destroyed brassicas. Not surprising given how poor the weather has been from May through August here in the SE. Last year was the complete opposite because of the very warm, sunny and dry spring, watering was the issue back then.

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cc

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2021, 11:27 »
The proper slug pellets are about to be banned but eBay still has two sellers. One is out of stock. The other is

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172729208178

Note if used correctly (sparingly) one 800grm tub will last you years. 4 pellets round each plant or box in the row


If under netting the birds won't get at the dead snails. I also use beer traps  which generally fill up quickly. I get the beer slops from pub for nowt. Both work but not 100%.
For beer traps I would look at YouTube for ways to make them so you can remove the snails with out wasting the beer.
Other seller better price for two and slightly more but out of stock at the moment. Might be worth asking if they are going to get more stock.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274383953123
« Last Edit: September 14, 2021, 11:47 by cc »

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rowlandwells

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2021, 12:41 »
 sorry about your problem a178 only just picked up on that lets hope next season brings better things for you

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Omega

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Re: slugs snails caterpillars and aphids
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2021, 14:38 »
The proper slug pellets are about to be banned but eBay still has two sellers. One is out of stock. The other is

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172729208178

The ban on metaldehyde was challenged in court and got suspended so they are not currently banned, hence the reason they can still be legally sold. https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/crop-management/pests/metaldehyde-slug-pellet-ban-overturned-after-legal-challenge 

The new ban starts March 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/outdoor-use-of-metaldehyde-to-be-banned-to-protect-wildlife. I don’t know if there is still an ongoing legal challenge that may push the date back further. 



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