[gembob]

I am sure you all agree with my anger at the little or now big slugs. They have had a right good chomp on my lettuces. I only have a small area in the garden and tubs. Any ideas on what I can use to stop them? (I have a dog and am worried she may eat anything that I put down). I have just been picking the little rips off for now.

Cheers
Gemma

[Yorkie]

A search will reveal loads of previous threads discussing this.

However, the basic methods are:

- slug pellets.  You can get ones which are organic and more wildlife friendly.
- barrier methods.
- traps e.g. beer, grapefruit.

[sunshineband]

and of course night time torch patrols 

[the Kergan]

How does the grapefruit work?

I use beer traps. The slugs love that undrinkable smart price muck that asda sell for 20p a tin.

[sunshineband]

Half a hollowed out grapefruit upside down, so slugs hide under there and are captured when you lift it

[Mrs Bee]

I saw a piece in the garden news recently about A garden company selling fertiliser made from recycled coffee grounds with wool in to keep the slugs away.

I would like to give that a go if I can find it.

I use the wildlife friendly slug pellets tho cos I've never had much luck with the organic ways.

[gembob]

Thanks for all your advise. Ill give the traps a go and if they dont work and if i have any lettuce left ill buy some wildlife friendly pellets.

Thanks again

[Robin Redbreast]

WOULD HAIR WORK? I ALWAYS HAVE LOADS IN THE SHOP!

[catweazle]

copper. slugs hate copper. (dont listen to the glue 1p coins around stuff, it doesnt work the copper content in our coins is too low)

[shokkyy]

For the past week I've been putting slug pellets in my coldframe because the seedlings and plants in there were  being nibbled and I did see slug trails. Every morning all the pellets were gone so I put some more in. And the next day the same thing happened, and the next, and the next.

Either I've got the world's biggest slug population or I've got mice that have acquired a taste for slug pellets, and I'm beginning to suspect it's the latter

[bappelbe]

Beer traps have been successful for me - the cheapest lager I can get.

Make sure they are covered - place a flat stone at an angle over the trap (a yoghurt carton or similar). This keeps the rain out and makes it more attractive to slugs. You also have to refresh the beer regularly to keep it attractive to the slugs.

I also put out some wildlife friendly pellets and squish any I find.

Bill

[Salmo]

Slug pellets containing ferric phosphate are marketed as safe and are pushed as "organic" but I have recently come across this article which is a bit worrying.

http://www.hostalibrary.org/firstlook/RRIronPhosphate.htm

[Paulj]

I just realised I posted a topic asking about the wool pellets and hadn't seen this thread. Has anyone used them?  They are meant to be safe for animals and effective with the slugs too.

I'm not convinced after reading various articles on the Internet about the use of many traditional methods or some of the organic methods with animals as I believe that if enough is ingested by my dog (which will happen as he has only 3 brain cells) he can still fall I'll due to them. 

[Daamoot]

I read elsewhere on this forum that some wildlife and other animals can help in the war against slugs.  Frogs are good so you may consider building a pond to attract them and also ducks would eat them if you have the space and desire to home them (chickens would eat your veggies too apparently).  As I have dogs and chickens (and organic preferences) I've avoided using pellets and have resorted to patrols and slug removal.  That seems to work so far but my patch is still pretty empty so I fear I'm yet to experience the worst of the slug attacks.  Good luck and keep us posted with your progress Gemma...

[kentishgal]

Ive used nematodes (which I have no idea if they are working coz I never paid attention to the garden before!), the blue organic pellets and collecting them up and smashing them with a blimmin' big rock!
I also have idiot dogs so make sure that all my veg beds and containers are dog proof. Sadly I cant fence off my borders though so will probably have to plant them up with slug proof plants like lavender, grasses and fuschia so they stand a chance of looking decent!