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Slug pellets

CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 173
in Problem solving
Does anyone have recommendations for slug pellets now the lethal blue ones are not available anymore? Don't really like to use them, but sometimes needs must.
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The ones available in garden centres nowadays are based on ferric phosphate or iron III phosphate and I find they’re very effective … I’ve used them sparingly around my lettuce seedlings which we’re getting decimated by slugs who live in the foundations of the terrace alongside the veg patch

    https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/news/rhs-trials-organic-slug-pellets-perform-better-those-toxic-metaldehyde. 

    Using a heavy dose may not be good for invertebrates in the soil and anyway is counterproductive as a lot of them will actually attract slugs which is not what you want 😱 , but I find a light sprinkling does the job. 👍 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    You need to make sure they get slightly wet to trigger the pheromones 
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    Around here the mice eat the ferric phosphate pellets before the slugs get a chance.  
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    I recently bought some turquoise coloured slug pellets from my local GC. They are made by Doff, other brands available. They are much more effective than the ecological ones I have tried before. I do not like using them but sometimes needs must to achieve any crops.
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    chicky said:
    Around here the mice eat the ferric phosphate pellets before the slugs get a chance.  
    I had a similar experience, except it was pigeons that ate the pellets. I had to net the area to keep the pigeons off.
    Sunny Dundee
  • Lazygirl623Lazygirl623 Posts: 8
    My gran like most grans liked to pass on her knowledge of all things garden.Her slug control method may sound slightly bonkers but I have used it and it works.She used to take half a melon,scoop out the flesh, and then put it on the cabbage bed flesh side down .The slugs congregated underneath and it was then simply a matter of picking up the melon half and picking out the slugs (To be fed to the birds later) and then put the melon back,and reuse until it was too rotted to handle.
  • CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 173
    Thank you @lazygirl623 gran!  Worth a try that!
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    My nan used to do something similar with the skins of grapefruit halves. I don't remember whether it worked very well though.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • CollareddoveCollareddove Posts: 173
    I do find copper bands very effective, but I don't have enough and the cost for more is prohibitive, so bought a roll of copper tape, used for preventing slugs climbing pots.  I cut down plastic plant pots and stuck the tape around the top (now base) inverted into soil around the beans.
    Sorry photo not very good - the white stuff is just a reflection off the copper tape. Fingers crossed it will work.   (One of those pictured has a real copper band)
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    I always use the Doff mini-pellets, but would suggest your 'line' planting pattern might be better in a circular one?
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