[666]

I have an old style kitchen sink which I cleared out yesterday.  I am wanting to prepare it for some herbs I am growing, however it was full of snails and slugs.

I picked out all the ones I saw but I'm sure there are more in there.  What can I do to get rid of the little bliters before I plant up my herbs in a couple of weeks?  Any suggestions would be great!  I'll try anything once  

[flowerlady]

You could water the soil with nematodes ... maybe at the same time as seeding ... it takes a wee while for them to get established

also keep your coffee grounds from the cafetiere, edge the whole sink with good wide strip ... slugs dislike gritty surfaces .... greatly  

[666]

Thank you, so would it not be a good idea to water with the nematodes now before the seedlings go in?  I guess this stuff is okay to go on crops which will eventually be eaten?  Very new to all this.

[WG.]

Herbs are rarely troubled by slugs/snails in my experience.

[celtbhoy]

soot or ashes,works a treat for me,NO damage this year useing it!!

[Aunt Sally]

Two chickens work well.  I have no slugs an snails left in my garden  

[WG.]

The question relates to slugs on herbs, not to slugs in general.  

Does anyone (who has slugs) get slug damage on any of their herb varieties please?

[fletch]

I had some French Parsley on my allotment which was destroyed by slugs. Also some mint, mind you that was buried under some long grass so was a damp haven for them.

Having said that I have never, ever seen as many slugs and snails in my life as there is on this garden/allotment. I ended up using pellets  :oops: just for this year to get on top of them.

[vegexchange]

I had slugs this year, which hit the radishes badly.

No damage on the Sage, Rosemary or parsley which were nearby.

I have tried ash in the past that works, but after it rains, does not work so well.  Slug pellets are very effective.

[Sheena]

The only herb I have had munched by slugs was basil, the rest were all fine.

[666]

I am growing:

basil
parsley
rosemary
coriander
We don't really use many others very often

The reason I am so worried is that the container will have nothing else in it-therefore I just assumed they would go for it.

[mkhenry]

The question relates to slugs on herbs, not to slugs in general.  

Does anyone (who has slugs) get slug damage on any of their herb varieties please?

Slugs will only eat some herbs if there is absolutely nothing else available.They do not seem to like the smell or taste.They will pass herbs in favour of almost everything else,and has most gardens and lotties have lots of treats to eat they tend to leave herbs alone.............So once again WG you are correct.

[WG.]

So ... WG you are correct.

If you post as many answers as I do it was bound to happen sometime.

[Smudgeboy]

I had some French Parsley on my allotment which was destroyed by slugs.

Me too - planted out three young plants a few weeks ago and they were gone within a couple of days!  :x

I also planted out four courgette plants and four squash plants - they scoffed two of the courgettes and all four of the squashes to bare stalks.

At which point, I pelletted the little * - sod organics, I want to eat at least SOME of my first ever sowings this year.

[Annie]

I get slugs in the herb bed but basil is the only herb eaten if planted out small,if you wait until they are decent little plants they aren`t bothered.No snails just nicely placed stones and broken shells! If you`re really worried some friendly slug pellets the a late night slug hunt with torch and kitchen knife!If nothing else this will give you an idea of the size of the problem as nematodes are not cheap.