I agree with the salt method, but one year i got really happy with the salt and ended up spilling some on my runner beans! yep they shrivelled up within a few days-the beans and the slugs- then more just seem to come back the next day with their big brothers!
Our house is built directly on the shingle of the beach and we get strong salty winds (especially lately). We moved hear from living in the country. We have far more snails than I ever saw in the country. They thrive in the salt and live under the shingle on the beach in the winter. This year, for the first time, I have been finding huge slugs which are coloured red underneath. I was always told that salt is the best method of getting rid of both slugs and snails. Obviously, this doesn't work anymore! I've been collecting them in a bucket and depositing them further down the beach nearer the sea. Someone has now told me that they always find their way back, do you know if this is true? I'm really getting tired of buying and planting beautiful plants and having them eaten by slugs and snails. Its so disheartening, especially as I have to battle with the strong, salty winds as well.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
I must be really luck with my hostas. Even though "our" slugs go for my vegetables big time, for some reason the hostas are always fine. My hostas are always a mass of flowers this time of year and just going over now, but I just leave them to their own devices and they are always about 3 foot high with masses of flowers. What am I doing right? They are planted in clayey fairly poor soil which is nearly always damp.
Young oleanders and fruit trees in Mallorca are getting so covered in white snails that some have died. It's very hot and dry so I assume they are going for the sap. Will try vaseline. Any other ideas?
I have tried the copper tape and found it ineffective.it seems once one determined blighter leaves a slime trail over it the others can follow, shock free. I have both slugs and snails in my yard, and until the snails arrived I had no problem with plants being eaten. The slugs are yellow slugs and apparently leave your plants alone, in my yard,I think they eat the algae that forms on the concrete yard floor as a result of overflowing plant food filled water. I have also resorted to plastic bottles to protect my salad leaves. Interestingly I have found that recently planted petunias have been decimated, except for those in pots which have a slate chip topping and Im wondering if Cigogne has a point "A combination of slate chippings and copper tape seem to be working well" there is no difference in those pots with or without copper tape but a vast difference between those topped with slate and those topped with pebbles or cobbles.
i've found the only way to control slugs and snails is to use a combination of techniques over a period of time. i always try to go on patrol just after dark armed with a slug slicer (pair of pruners!).
heres a good article with some other ideas to help the fight...
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that ive had in my allotment?
I'm really getting tired of buying and planting beautiful plants and having them eaten by slugs and snails. Its so disheartening, especially as I have to battle with the strong, salty winds as well.
Margaret
http://howtomakecompost.info
heres a good article with some other ideas to help the fight...
http://www.thechilliking.com/slugs-snails/