Slug control

[oldherbaceous]

I normally just let nature get on with things but, I do lay a few roofing tiles and squares of wood about, and just check underneath every so often and squash any slugs that are there....

[Diane]

I like the idea of the black bag buffet - brilliant idea. I wonder what you could charge for them on Gumtree?

[Westi]

Made me giggle IDKWIDG! Very descriptive! You could have the makings of a dissertation in that!

[PLUMPUDDING]

Nightly slug patrols on a few successive nights with rubber gloves, a bucket of water with detergent in it and a torch will reduce their numbers dramatically. They die quickly in the detergent and don t try climbing out of the bucket. I reduced the count from 1,700+ on the first night to 2 or three hundred on successive nights. I've a half acre garden and the first slug patrol took an hour and a half.

I sometimes put little heaps of bran near susceptible young plants which is supposed to swell the same as porridge oats inside them.

A few boards or something flat are good hiding places and make them easy to find in the daytime as OH says. Half grapefruit skins serve the same purpose.

I'd be bankrupt if I paid children per slug but wouldn't let them loose in the garden after dark when the slugs come out anyway.

Stamping on them is quite satisfying if rather messy and a quicker end than using salt which seems cruel.

Hair clippings from the hair dresser sprinkled thickly round newly emerging delphinium shoots is a good deterrent until it gets wet.

I could go on but am probably being boring now.

[robo]

We have a resident toad in the pollytunnel slugs are not much of a problem it's a pity it won't eat mice

[Si_hitch]

Anyone tried coffee grounds? My stepdaughter works at Costa so have an endless supply.

[Colin2016]

"Anyone tried coffee grounds? My stepdaughter works at Costa so have an endless supply."

Not for slugs but they are good for composting & I believe spreading on the planting.

[Elmigo]

Apparently they don't like sharp edges so I sprinkle some egg shell pieces around the plants that are under heavy artillery. It works if you got enough of them. Don't throw your egg shells away and safe as much as possible! Contrary to popular belief they provide a very strong shield. Be careful, egg shells are calcareous so don't use them around plants that love acidic soil, like blueberries...

[Westi]

The slug trials done recently didn't rate egg shells but they were on a bigger scale & outside test site but with limited invaders in the greenhouse at home I have found them helpful. If you can set up a nice dark moist hideaway (read a bit of plastic or OH's tile or bit of wood) then you get so many more at once & the joy of throwing them over the balcony would be immense. They have no bones so wouldn't be hurt & find a new home quickly away from your precious plants - well unless they hit a road, not good with cars!