This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
compost bin alive with slugs
jcoogs
Posts: 9
My compost bin is full of slugs, to such an extent that I'm wondering whether any of it will be usable as it will be full of eggs. Any suggestions?
0
Posts
Of course it is- they are eating what is in there-you will not be using it immediately-just keep adding turning and mixing ,slugs snails all bugs big and small are in there it is part of the process-you can't stop them.
As it rots down they will go elsewhere and I wouldn't worry about the eggs either-if they are not there they are somewhere else in the garden-this is all part of gardening.
Thanks sotongeoff. I know it's all part of the cycle, I'm quite happy for all the other little critters to be in there, I'm just particularly prejudiced against slugs! They've always been a particular problem and, after the weather we've had this year, it's worse than ever. Even planting 'slug resistant' plants is a waste of time, there's nothing they won't eat in my garden.
It has been a good few months to be a slug-or a snail
It surely has. They eat move between the flowers and the herbs - they like a bit of garnish! Coriander is their favourite.
The best way and you ll never get rid of them,is to buy some hens and feed them the slugs and eggs .They are gone instance and lowers the population .you may not have any plants but its one way.
Thanks Rose but frightened of the rest of the food chain. We're on old agricultural land but it very established residential and a near neighbour of mine feeds the foxes to encourage them! Pity the foxes won't eat the slugs - cut out the middle man
Apparently foxes do eat slugs http://www.collienet.com/health%20topics/lungworm.html, however they probably prefer whatever tasty morsels your neighbour gives them
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They are canine (of a kind) after all but, as you say, when they're getting Pedigree C**m. They're in great condition too!
Many if not all of the slugs one finds in Compost bins are not the kind which eat your green plants. There are a number of slugs which do not have strong enough rasping parts (raddula, they do not have teeth, more like files) to eat fresh green material. This type live on decaying leaves and as such they help the process of turning plant material into compost.
Thanks Berghill, I'll try to be more forgiving!