Kitchen Garden Forum

With reference to KG's Top Tip on page 20 of the newly arrived Jan'07 edition of the magazine, and specifically in relation to the article (KG Mini-plot).....

Having suffered the loss of my 1st June'06 carrot seedlings to keeled slugs, I was wondering about the slug-killing solutions that you 'water onto the vacant plot' prior to sowing (can't remember a brand/product name offhand).
Does it then kill earthworms etc. as well as the soil-living slugs or is it a 'nematode-based product'?

There used to be a product called 'Slug-it' by Murphys I think. I have no idea if it worked or what it did the soil and other organisms.
Probably another one that has been taken of the shelves.

Beryl.

Hi Wellie & Beryl
Please be careful with Slug-it I am sure you cannot use it near Veg I will check it for you, I am sure I have an old Bottle of it at my allotment. ( I inherited it with the shed )
I think it can only be used on Herbaceous plants.


Kind Regards


Kevin

It will be interesting to see what Kevin comes up with. I think these 'water-in' slug killers are based on aluminium sulphate and I wouldn't choose to water my veg with it.

John

I called into a garden centre on the way back from work. A product called 'Slug Clear' water-on-solution contains Metaldehyde (?) and is for ornamental garden use only. Would that kill every living thing in the soil too d'you think ?

We watered with nematodes, which certainly seemed to cut down hugely on the number of slugs. At least I had some potatoes this year, compared with the measly holey things I had the previous year. And nematodes are harmless to other wildlife.
The manufacturers' claims that ordinary slug-killers are harmless to wildlife is said to be very suspect, according to an article in an organic gardening magazine about two months,, which found there was little or no research to back it up.
Alison.

Don't worry Kevin - it is not something I would use.

Just that the name came to mind.

I have to say after years of dealing with the things I am not too bothered with them now.
Keeping a 'clean' plot (no rotting debri left lying around) as far as possible, plenty of wood chippings on the paths which they don't like, seems to have reduced their numbers considerably.

Beryl.

Hi Beryl,

Could'nt agree more the only way to keep them down is a clean plot, as for Slugit Wellie points out it contains Metaldehyde. On the back of the container I have it say's not to pick your crops within 10 day of treatment.

I am not putting it any were near my veg.


Regards

Kevin

Mmmm, sounds lethal Kevin. Perhaps you should dispose of it safely.

Beryl.

Hi Beryl,

I am keeping it to use in the yarding, as it is lethal I will only use it on the plants in the back yard (Yarding) The slugs & snails will not know what has hit them, hopefully my Hosta's will look good instead of moth eaten.

Kind regards


Kevin

Similar from me - Slug It is out of use but I have tried Nematodes with some limited success. Will continue to use them, but still find going out at dusk, wearing wellies and gloves, with a torch and doing the squish and squash dance gets the best results!

Organic Dave here! Nemaslug is the product you need - I've been using it for over two years and it really does work. The nematodes occur naturally in the soil and applying the product simply boosts their population temporarily, giving increased control for up to 6 weeks. The key is to keep applying it regularly and as soon as the soil temperature reaches 5 degrees C. The nematodes - and this is where it gets a bit unpleasant - enter the slug through any pore or opening and spread a bacterial disease which kills it! I get a three treatment programme of nematodes sent to me from Harrod Horticultural (www.harrodhorticultural.com) which starts in Spring and is then sent at 6 weekly intervals. Simple!

How does Nemaslug work out at cost per square metre for a season. If it costs more than the value of saved crop there is no point in using it.
My present regime is mainly physical barrier whether of copper or zinc or plastic tubes doesn't matter, with occasional slug bait granules for young seedlings.
Allan

At the moment my vegetable garden is open house to our hens and ducks. Come summer there will be no significant numbers of slugs or snails, at least judging by previous years' experience. This year I have had no slug damage in potatoes or anything above ground. Just wish I could let them into the polytunnel.
I realise this is not an answer to everyone's problem, but we do enjoy eating "recycled slugs" in egg form.

The best slug killer is a small pond full of toads and frogs, they also remove earwigs, woodlice and othe meddlesome wee beasties.

My plot is having one dug next week.