I had some 'slug pubs' years ago that had an inner that had slits in so acted as a sieve that could be emptied out each morning. Didn't notice any inebriated birds but the remains went. Maybe try sowing an edging of sacrificial lettuces?
I am on a hiding to nothing with my garden as I have stone walls and open, uncultivated fields surrounding me. I use the Doff turquoise slug pellets, (other brands of pellets available),the only thing which really works for me. There are also lots of unkempt areas in my garden, my contribution to wildlife. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it!
I have used slug pellets once ever. It was many years ago. I remember it was a lovely sunny evening very still and after rain. I looked out of the window later and saw a song thrush on the lawn. My immediate thought was what have I done my plants were not at important as this beautiful bird. I have worked as a gardener for 24 years and often saw slug pellets scattered illegally. I never used them in any garden that I worked in but I stayed employed so I guess I did something right!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
There's no doubt that they get used excessively a lot [maybe most] of the time @GardenerSuze. We often get photos of plants posted, and many of us forget about the plant problem because we're too busy being astonished at the layer of slug pellets. Used correctly - ie a few around a vulnerable plant, they can help - especially at the most vulnerable time of year when foliage is emerging, but the over use is completely counterproductive as it just attracts them even more to your plants. It's often a hard job persuading people about that though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
For every person who suggests copper rings, you'll get ten saying they don't work. Ditto orange peel. No matter how much wood you have, they'll still find other places to hide.
I'm afraid you can only minimise the amount of slugs. Unless you have absolutely nothing in the way of plants at all
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ground coffee does very little to deter them. I suppose if you had enough of it - height wise, it might, but who wants that around their plants? Any 'meal' of any kind, even if it worked, would need constant replacement too - it would disappear overnight here in the wet. It would also attract rodents. I've never used ammonia - and I really wouldn't want to. Dead slugs disappear. Other things eat them.
All these sorts of things have been tried and debated at great length here and in other places. If you have plants, the chances are you'll have slugs. It's a fact of life - and gardening
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The slugs I find most destructive are the little grey jobs which live below the soil surface and are therefore quite difficult to "hunt". Agree with @Fairygirl that the pellets are quite often used in too high quantities. Waste of money if nothing else. You can protect other creatures by using a small container with just a tiny opening in one end/side and placing 3 or 4 pellets in there. Placed in a specific spot which you need to protect, it does work. As already said on this thread as well as others on the same subject, if you have a garden with plants in it, you will also have the accompanying wildlife like it or not
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I use the Doff turquoise slug pellets, (other brands of pellets available),the only thing which really works for me. There are also lots of unkempt areas in my garden, my contribution to wildlife.
That is my excuse and I am sticking to it!
I have worked as a gardener for 24 years and often saw slug pellets scattered illegally. I never used them in any garden that I worked in but I stayed employed so I guess I did something right!
We often get photos of plants posted, and many of us forget about the plant problem because we're too busy being astonished at the layer of slug pellets.
Used correctly - ie a few around a vulnerable plant, they can help - especially at the most vulnerable time of year when foliage is emerging, but the over use is completely counterproductive as it just attracts them even more to your plants. It's often a hard job persuading people about that though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Suggestions are:
orange peal, slugs apparently love oranges so much they'll hop off hostas and onto the orange peal where you can collect the slugs,
a copper ring around the plant, apparently copper and slug slime 'reacts' and gives the slug a shock thus creating a barrier around your plant.
a 2ft plank of wood, slugs will hide under the wood, and
Diatom earth powder ???
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Ditto orange peel.
No matter how much wood you have, they'll still find other places to hide.
I'm afraid you can only minimise the amount of slugs. Unless you have absolutely nothing in the way of plants at all
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ground coffee, Could it be a repellent?
A very week solution of ammonia in water - less than 1 part ammonia in 6 of water?
Would leaving dead slugs deter others from visiting?
For some reason I've come across a Pinterest page with loads of ideas. There must be something that works?
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Any 'meal' of any kind, even if it worked, would need constant replacement too - it would disappear overnight here in the wet. It would also attract rodents.
I've never used ammonia - and I really wouldn't want to.
Dead slugs disappear. Other things eat them.
All these sorts of things have been tried and debated at great length here and in other places. If you have plants, the chances are you'll have slugs. It's a fact of life - and gardening
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Agree with @Fairygirl that the pellets are quite often used in too high quantities. Waste of money if nothing else.
You can protect other creatures by using a small container with just a tiny opening in one end/side and placing 3 or 4 pellets in there. Placed in a specific spot which you need to protect, it does work.
As already said on this thread as well as others on the same subject, if you have a garden with plants in it, you will also have the accompanying wildlife like it or not
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...