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Talkback: How to deter slugs with copper tape

barbandjohnbarbandjohn Posts: 1
in Talkback
We have a real clay soil and I just cannot weed properly as the soil just sticks to the fork or hoe. Please give me some suggestions, I cannot even break the soil up after it has been turned over. We cannot afford to spend much money on the soil so please help.
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  • pog_mahonepog_mahone Posts: 1
    @Tea-Rose, i'm no expert but i'm not sure if its true about the slugs cutting themselves, i saw a programme on t.v last week & the guy said that slugs could crawl over the edge of a razor blade without cutting themselves as they don't actually touch anything when they crawl as the slime acts as a barrier, similar to a hover craft effect, in away.Like i said though, i'm no expert : )
  • Tea-RoseTea-Rose Posts: 3
    I've never tried this but others have told me they've tried it and it has not worked. My mother uses egg shells, washed, dried and crushed, sprinkled around plants. This works for me. Also those abrasive wire kitchen scrubber things, pulled apart and put round the pot like a skirt or collar: the slugs cannot get past as they'd cut themselves (like with the egg shells). This does not stop the little bar-stewards from mounting an aerial attack by accessing plants from walls or other plants.
  • Tea-RoseTea-Rose Posts: 3
    barbaraandjohn, I had this soil in my last garden, it was really hard to work with. I was advised to grow potatoes in it as this would help break up the soil. I've also heard if you can dig in organic matter that will help a lot too. We have clay soil here too, very boggy, but not as heavy as our last place.
  • NettyMezzNettyMezz Posts: 1
    I too hate snails and slugs; I'm still in the learner stage of veg growing and they seem to know it!!! However, I've just read somewhere on this site that someone puts their collected snails down the drain.......... please don't. I work in the industry and I would appeal to everyone to keep the drains for human waste and toilet tissue and absolutely NOTHING else. Too much distress is caused already by blocked sewers, I know, I deal with this every day.
  • TaraTara Posts: 3
    I collect the critters & put them in a sandwich bag, sprinkle salt inside, knot the bag,& shake it like a maraca. The bag can then be placed in a bin with no mess involved. Im going to buy some copper tape (its cheap on a certain internet site) but I will experiment & try lining a couple of pots INSIDE the rim as I would prefer not to see the copper tape.
    In the future,I plan to have pond & introduce frogs and toads into the garden & then hopefully I won't have to 'salt and shake' anymore :-)
  • MelenMelen Posts: 19
    Must say, I've tried copper tape round pots and the copper rings around plants and the little darlings still manage to make their way over it. Think I must just have mega hard slugs. image
  • zorro56zorro56 Posts: 2

    you can't beat them, they are taking over. my veg is 1foot high built with sharp surface brick, this surrounded by sharp gravel and on top of the bricks is a strip of 3" slug pellets and the bloody things still get to my plants. maybe i should add beer traps as well. i encourage all the birds with feeders all over the garden. if anyone finds a proper solution please, please, let me know.

  • DollypetalsDollypetals Posts: 1
    It would be SO helpful if you could provide a link for where to buy recommended items. I have never seen copper tape on sale anywhere!
  • HELEN PHILLIPSHELEN PHILLIPS Posts: 3

    Forget copper tape, ask your local hair dressers or barbers for their chop off hair.

    This is like barbwire on the slugs and will break down in the soil as well. With regards to heavy clay soil. If you know anyone who has a wood burner, get the wood ash and fine grit and spinkle it on the soil. Use garden compost as well and when its not too dry dig it over. If you dont want to plant anything in it this year grow green manure over it. I use red clover and once the plants have flowers just dig it all into the ground. Over the years this soil will get better if you do this every Oct - January.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    I watered in Nematodes two weeks ago, I havent seen a slug since so lets hope they work. I will do it again in about 4 weeks, just in case. Money wise its much cheaper, I can easily sprinkle on 3 - 4 boxes of slug pellets in a season, so I think the Nematodes are cheaper, and you can eat the veg with no worries. Also safe for the birds and toads.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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