I've been using nematodes for a few years now .... so I just "top up" the nematode population in the garden by using the nematodes at twice the usual solution rate so that they go further. Seems to work.
Bee x
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Slug pubs are good... and they die happy! It doesn't have to be an expensive commercial version - I've used a jam jar half buried in the soil, half filled with the cheapest beer you can find. Emptying it is a bit gross when it's full of bodies...
I've found you don't even need beer. I just dissolve sugar in water, add a pinch of baking yeast and it's ready to use after a few days at room temperature. I sampled it in the interests of research, and it tastes vile, but the slimebabies go for it as if it were Theakston's.
The other downside to slug pubs is they aren't selective, I sometimes find woodlice and other friendly folk in them, but never anything that flies.
I don't understand why my slugs love pubs, come for a drink and a chat and slouch off. They can happily swim and just seem to enjoy the beer and go to bed.
I have a small raised bed at the front of my house which I have used as a test bed for nematodes. The weather is perfect - entirely soaked by rain and soaked again after the application. I followed the instructions to the letter. I applied on June 10th. It says the todes should take a week to work. Today the whole bed was covered in fat slugs. I think it will be a good test as there are no gardens near me on the street for at least ten houses either way. It was easy to water on the whole area - about two square metres. There's not really anywhere they can travel from close by. I want to put in newly sprouted sunflowers and I'm not going to risk it while the area is inundated.
Posts
I use this company for slug nematodes .... bit cheaper than Nematodes Direct .... and free P&P. They are currently in stock.
https://www.gardening-naturally.com/nemaslug-slug-nematodes-40-sqm
I've been using nematodes for a few years now .... so I just "top up" the nematode population in the garden by using the nematodes at twice the usual solution rate so that they go further. Seems to work.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I've found you don't even need beer. I just dissolve sugar in water, add a pinch of baking yeast and it's ready to use after a few days at room temperature. I sampled it in the interests of research, and it tastes vile, but the slimebabies go for it as if it were Theakston's.
The other downside to slug pubs is they aren't selective, I sometimes find woodlice and other friendly folk in them, but never anything that flies.