[Greenfingered Airman]

hi all,
 
i've been chatting with my plot neighbours the past few days about slug and snail repellents for my up and coming plot, most seem to use the eco-friendly approaches using egg shells, sharp gravels and such, but one guy down the lottie had one that i've not seen before, and says it works without fail.
 
Granted, nearly all of the plot holders are using raised beds because of our plot location (on an old construction dump [mostly bricks/mortar/tiles etc.] at the edge of our MOD estate) and i think this really is needed for the method this fella showed me.
 
The system is a set once and leave it to do its job kind of affair - the best kind! It consists of two separate loops of galvanised gardening wire placeed around the outside of the raised bed, held into place with wood staples or nails/screws, but it must be tight up against the wood to work effectively. One loop is connected to the positive side of a 9V square battery, and the other loop to the negative side.
 
The system is active 24/7, but a current only flows when a snail/slug crosses the two loops and acts as a bridge between the +ve & -ve terminals. It gets a short sharp shock and moves off (as you'd expect!) in the opposite direction. I'm told that he tried a 12v torch battery beforehand but ended up collecting the bodies of the frazzled pests every morning, after moving to 9V he's not had to do this so i'd assume that anything similar voltage would be ok. The 9V batteries seem to last some time too, unless they're constantly tripped by invading slug/snail pests, and he says he's only changed the battery once in the last 18 months. Zero casualties on the veg plot, cheap to set up and run, no impact on the beneficial wildlife and only a few stung slugs/snails that won't be visiting his plot again - sounds perfect!

[Growing4mykids]

Hi, I watched a video of this method on you-tube and on all accounts it looked good, then on here somebody(for the life of me i can't think who now!) pointed out that slugs will come up through the soil, so, maybe it's an experiment that could be done to the see the results where you are 

[mumofstig]

*cough* 
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=107265.msg1204419#msg1204419

[Greenfingered Airman]

*cough* 
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=107265.msg1204419#msg1204419

well would you look at that! and here's me thinking it was a new fangled cure for the slug and snail pestilance!
 
I've already got the bits and peices to put my mini electric fence in to ward the blasted things off, but it looks like i'll be looking for additional protection against any rogue slugs then...

[Growing4mykids]

Sorry mum