TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS

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Slowgrind

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TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« on: April 02, 2010, 09:37 »
Whenever I try to grow Sweet Peas or Delphiniums in my borders they always end up being devoured by slugs or snails. This year I found some Sweat Peas in pots that I planted last summer, the roots look quite substantial and they have plenty of top growth. The question is should I keep them in pots plunged into the border, or plant them out?
I get the same problems with some hostas but since the roots became established they tend to just make it through the summer with enough energy to make it to the next year.
I don't like to use slug pellets around the garden as I'm growing foodstuff nearby.

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pairofacres

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2010, 11:01 »
Maybe try the tip in the 13 things to do with cucumber thread?

Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

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sunshineband

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2010, 13:51 »
I resort to nightly patrols by torchlight  :ohmy:
Wisdom is knowing what to ignore - be comfortable in your own skin.
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Trillium

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2010, 15:00 »
Not sure what you could do about the sweet peas or delphs, but hostas are basically slug magnets. However, new varieties have been bred which are touted as 'slug proof'. In reality, they've bred plants with much thicker leaves which slugs don't like so they'll go around these and hopefully into a neighbour's yard. If you still want hostas, dig up the old thin-leafed slug magnets and replace with newer thick leaved varieties. A bit of expense I know, but it's the only sure way around the problem. You might get the odd test bite by slugs, but nothing like the usual devastation. When you do buy newer hostas, verify that your choices are indeed the thicker leaved ones as not all are.

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Eumaeus

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2010, 08:54 »
I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but my mum wears by getting them drunk.  She sinks yoghurt pots into the soil, and puts beer in them.  The slugs make a bee-line for the beer, fall in and drown - has to go round every few days and empty them out an dput new beer in, but it works for her. :)  Another one is to put down grapefruit halves upside down.  The slugs go under them in the morning to get shade - then you pounce and dispose of them
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DavidT

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2010, 18:29 »
Treat the ground and plants with Slugit, which is a liquid slug/snail control. :D

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FERDY

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2010, 19:18 »
Nematodes.
Correctio, Accommodo, Maturus.

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DavidT

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2010, 20:18 »
Nematodes, being a living parasite DO NOT kill all the slugs. They will not destroy their food chain. Use Slugit. :D

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unconcerned

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2010, 22:07 »
I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but my mum wears by getting them drunk.  She sinks yoghurt pots into the soil, and puts beer in them.  The slugs make a bee-line for the beer, fall in and drown - has to go round every few days and empty them out an dput new beer in, but it works for her. :)  Another one is to put down grapefruit halves upside down.  The slugs go under them in the morning to get shade - then you pounce and dispose of them

Beer works for me but the grapefruit was a dismal failure in comparison. Also i started a good relationship with my local supermarket who lets me know when they are 'wasting' out of date beer - I go and get it out of the skip that day...free beer traps!

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Lupin lurcher

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Re: TRYING TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST SLUGS
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2010, 12:27 »
I tried yoguart pots filled with bran and put on their sides last year I had less slug damage than I have ever had before.  The slugs eat the bran and it dries them out, you can a large bag from healthfood shops its inexpensive.  I may try the cucumber idea this year as well.



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