[Jome]

(to the rhythm of rat in my kitchen!)

Ok so there's a mischevious slug/snail running rampage in my greenhouse eating the last treats left, it's halved my sweetcorn seedlings and chomped my african lilly plants. Any ideas on how to find the blighters or draw them out as I had a good search and can't find them amidst the towers of pots.

[Muddylou]

Other than shifting every thing outside piece by piece and checking every item, I'd spray slug pellets everwhere.

[mumofstig]

my thoughts exactly 

[Yorkie]

Once you've checked the pots individually could you stand them on gravel?  Might make it harder for all but the most kamikaze of slugs to attempt warfare on your tender shoots 

[Paul Plots]

Slug pellets would be the easiest option but if you are not keen on using these you'd need to try to offer them something more attractive than the food they are presently choosing and then encourage them to settle down where you can find them.

Beer in a tray covered with an up-turned plastic flowerpot saucer might do it if the saucer is in the shade and damp underneath.

Next morning all you'd have to do is turn the saucer over and check for visitors and then dispose of the humane way ..... lots and lots more beer?? 

[Zippy]

I do exactly what Learner says. Also ensure the greenhouse is on and surrounded by gravel and not with lush weeds growing all around for slugs to hide and expand their numbers in.

[Jome]

Thanks for your suggestions, I think I'll try the beer option as my toddlers go in the greenhouse and I wouldn't want them to pick up slug pellets and eat them. Mind you they might get tipsy on beer instead! My boy keep trying to eat slugs (yes ew and gross, I have no idea what the appeal is) perhaps I should send him in to search and kill!

[Livinhope]

I have gravel on my greenhouse floor and it doesn't seem to bother them at all, they make trails all over it ON THEIR WAY TO THE SLUG PELLETS!!!!!

[rock_chick]

A few years ago we had something munching it's way through our seedlings and plants in our greenhouse. My dad was positive it was a mouse, so set a trap baited with cheese. The following morning imagine our surprise when we found a huge slug caught in the trap! We didn't have any further problems that year. 

[Paul Plots]

A few years ago we had something munching it's way through our seedlings and plants in our greenhouse. My dad was positive it was a mouse, so set a trap baited with cheese. The following morning imagine our surprise when we found a huge slug caught in the trap! We didn't have any further problems that year. 

Slug traps - could catch on 

As a kid I was sent out to play in open-toed sandals  :blink: All was fine until I belted through some long grass then discovered one of my socks (yep "socks") was skidding around on the inner sole of the sandal....

It is not a nice experience walking along on squished slug     

[rock_chick]

As a kid I was sent out to play in open-toed sandals  :blink: All was fine until I belted through some long grass then discovered one of my socks (yep "socks") was skidding around on the inner sole of the sandal....

It is not a nice experience walking along on squished slug     
[/quote]


Yuck!! 

[Jome]

That's pretty nasty. Found the slug hiding in the lawnmower (which we keep in the greenhouse) Got hubby to fire it up and obliterate it!

[Livinhope]

Kentish lawn mower massacre

[MoreWhisky]

What ever you do, when you find one of those big yellowy ones dont use a long piece of 4 by 1  to squash it with, as it splats up in your face 

[shokkyy]

A few years ago we had something munching it's way through our seedlings and plants in our greenhouse. My dad was positive it was a mouse, so set a trap baited with cheese. The following morning imagine our surprise when we found a huge slug caught in the trap! We didn't have any further problems that year. 

That happened to me this year, something snipped off almost every plant in 3 trays of sweet peas. It was definitely a mouse though. Having gorged himself on sweet peas, he then dived into the watering can and committed suicide.