2014 Slug Invasion

[vivie veg]

Just remembered Ducks are great for clearing your garden of most things (including your prized vegs) so need to be well enclosed into the areas you want them to clear.

Unfortunately I don't have ducks any more, moved house and don't have enough space

[oldherbaceous]

Now here is a name from the past, and very pleased to see it.....
Yes i am still here Vivie veg...

[robo]

I went down plot last week after 2 nights of hard frost i was very happy to find dead slugs everywhere hope we get a few more nights with very low temperatures

[Pa Snip]

Robo, I went up the plot yesterday just to check things over and wasn't as lucky as you.

Only evidence I saw was that my overwintering young Spring Hero cabbages are still being decimated by snails or slugs.
This despite the fact I have covered the bed around them with well broken up eggshells and slug pellets

[robo]

Pa snip, are you sure its not pigeons my cabbage leaves are full of holes but not a slug or snail near them

[Pa Snip]

Robo, its not pigeons, the plants are netted

[robo]

Pa snip, marbe its that rare breed of pigeons, the narrow long beaked type not often seen in this country

[Pa Snip]

and probably called Walter

[vivie veg]

Pigeons will leave V shaped holes, whereas slugs tend to be rounded holes or just take the whole leaf

I have been doing more research into Ferric Phosphate. Apparently these can cause Iron poisoning, if eaten in sufficient quantity. Unlikely if sprinkled on the ground, but likely if a small child or pet eats the whole packet! So as always, keep out of reach of anybody/thing likely to eat the whole lot.

[mr-cecil]

Well, it looks like the slugs are coming (at least on my plot).

Pa Snip, did you try the Nematode solution?

Did anyone have any success with this Ferric Phosphate stuff?

[Pa Snip]

Pa Snip, did you try the Nematode solution?

Too early to use it yet Mr C, not being shipped to me 'til March. Ground temperature has to be at least 5 degrees.

Slugs on my plot hardly seem to have stopped overwinter. Spring Hero cabbage trying its best to keep ahead of the slugs.

[mr-cecil]

Regarding the comment about wooden boards - if they like wooden boards, doesn't that just make it easier to get rid of them because you know where they are?

Does anybody think the copper tape idea works? ie, put tape all around your wooden boards....you can get it for £1 for 2 meters worth.

[Pa Snip]

Would that be two gas meters or electric meters worth.

No idea of how effective copper banding really is, thought strikes me though that that it would take a lot of metres of the stuff to be effective on an allotment.

I use wooden boards, do tend to find a few slugs under them which get squashed, but tend not to remember to look under them on a regular basis

[robo]

I tried the nematodes last year seemed to be a waste of money I followed the instruction to the letter but still overrun with the buggers I sent an email to the firm I bought them off to be fair they sent me another box but I gave it to one of my mates down the plots he was not impressed with them either

[Pa Snip]

Once mine arrives and I have had a chance to try it I shall report back as to how I get on later in the year