Afriend of mine advised me to put porridge oats around my plants. Apparently slugs will eat it, then it swells inside them and kills them. Not sure if it works, but am going to give it a try! Has anyone else heard of this method?
This does work initially, but I've actually seen slugs learn to arch over the tape. The width of tape therefore needs to be wider than the biggest slug. Letting it weather will also not work as it needs to be kept clean for the electrical charge to happen.
Improving clay soil - I have this and add what ever I can get, compost from used pots and seed trays. soil improver from local tip ( here its £10 for 5 bags), compost. I don't attempt the whole garden just earmark an area at a time for a couple of months. It's not an instant fix but slowly i am seeing an improvement.
As for slugs and snails - - I use copper tape on some pots but you need a wider strip is 2 widths together. I got it from large garden centre, but mostly now rely on rough compost, sea shells ground up, grit, again whatever I can get. On special plants I use that organic growingsuccess pellets BUT very rarely and then a light sprinkle until the plant has established. Always aware of birds and wild life.
I have a lot of hostas and use a few pellets but mainly dried and crushed egg shells.I have been told that as birds only eat live slugs and snails they wont touch those which have eaten pellets. I also put used coffee granules down (use them fresh -don't wait until you have a bagful.) Also you can boil garlic cloves and spray the liquid on the leaves - it doesn't make the plant smell of garlic.
I hate the horrible things,but i only have a small garden with a variety of plants...so what i do is check my plants towards the end of the evening for slugs and snails..but i do use a large amount of vaseline i paint all of my planters with it and it seems to stop them climbing.Also i to use diluted washing liquid for the greenflies also when ever i can i squish them of my plants.
For hostas in pots, try spraying around the base with WD40 (top tip from a hosta grower) it does work, but obviously can't do that with hostas in the border! Just make sure leaves aren't touching shed or another plant that the slug can airlift in by!!!!
Also we have heavy clay, it's actually yellow when you get down a bit. Mulch for England. Dig well rotted compost in where poss and then mulch. I tend to use peatfree organic, some are really reasonably priced - Vitalearth 4 bags for £10 currently. On the plus side of clay - roses love it!
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Afriend of mine advised me to put porridge oats around my plants. Apparently slugs will eat it, then it swells inside them and kills them. Not sure if it works, but am going to give it a try! Has anyone else heard of this method?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Improving clay soil - I have this and add what ever I can get, compost from used pots and seed trays. soil improver from local tip ( here its £10 for 5 bags), compost. I don't attempt the whole garden just earmark an area at a time for a couple of months. It's not an instant fix but slowly i am seeing an improvement.
As for slugs and snails -
- I use copper tape on some pots but you need a wider strip is 2 widths together. I got it from large garden centre, but mostly now rely on rough compost, sea shells ground up, grit, again whatever I can get. On special plants I use that organic growingsuccess pellets BUT very rarely and then a light sprinkle until the plant has established. Always aware of birds and wild life.
Never thought of that Verdun.
I don't use copper tape any more, used it for a year as experiment where I lived before-it was slug heaven
I have a lot of hostas and use a few pellets but mainly dried and crushed egg shells.I have been told that as birds only eat live slugs and snails they wont touch those which have eaten pellets. I also put used coffee granules down (use them fresh -don't wait until you have a bagful.) Also you can boil garlic cloves and spray the liquid on the leaves - it doesn't make the plant smell of garlic.
I hate the horrible things,but i only have a small garden with a variety of plants...so what i do is check my plants towards the end of the evening for slugs and snails..but i do use a large amount of vaseline i paint all of my planters with it and it seems to stop them climbing.Also i to use diluted washing liquid for the greenflies also when ever i can i squish them of my plants.
For hostas in pots, try spraying around the base with WD40 (top tip from a hosta grower) it does work, but obviously can't do that with hostas in the border! Just make sure leaves aren't touching shed or another plant that the slug can airlift in by!!!!
Also we have heavy clay, it's actually yellow when you get down a bit. Mulch for England. Dig well rotted compost in where poss and then mulch. I tend to use peatfree organic, some are really reasonably priced - Vitalearth 4 bags for £10 currently. On the plus side of clay - roses love it!
All the best