Forum home Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Slug explosion

13

Posts

  • angie4angie4 Posts: 44

    Linda Fairweather, they were probably tossed over the fence by your neighbour, LOL.

  • LINDA FLINDA F Posts: 162

    Angie very funny,  mind you if you seen my neighbours garden.. ,she wouldn't have to throw them over, the slugs would be leaving in their droves to get away from all the rubbish that is in it. And I don't mean vegetation I mean rubbish!!

  • ninnin Posts: 216

    Nematodes yes they say they only work for six weeks but the effect lasts all summer and into the next. As you seriously dent the population.

    I have always suffered with slugs never been able to grow a delphinium had slugs so bad 2013 and worse in 2014 i couldn't grow much at all large plants got eaten over night and despite thousands of seeds not one came up.

    2015 large application of nematodes did mine and near side of neighbours weed and slug haven and five weeks  later second application , I have snails this year a few more than would like but not excessive but still barely a slug in sight.

    last year I planted delphiniums and this year i have got huge clumps of green awaiting blue spires.

  • ZenjeffZenjeff Posts: 652

    Agree with nin I started usingNematoids  three years ago and the reduction in numbers is amazing 

    • A slug’s slime enables it to glide without difficulty over glass shards, or even the edge of a razor blade.
    • Slugs have the capability to reproduce by themselves, although a mate is preferred.
    • Slugs leave their own individual scent trail so they can find their way home.
    • A slug’s slime absorbs water, which is why it’s nearly impossible to wash it off your hands.
    • A slug’s slime contains fibres which prevents it from sliding down vertical surfaces.
    • A slug smells with its body
    • they also can live up to 6 years
    • also can stretch 20 times there length to get through small gaps
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Steve 309 wrote (see)

    Aha!  If you're expecting a visit from the M5 or M6 you must be near Birmingham! image

    I like chopping them with a trowel image

    Have they got branches of the intelligence as well? 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • LINDA FLINDA F Posts: 162

    Zenjeff, thanks for all that information, no wonder we cant get rid of them. If you look at it from their point of view they are amazing little creatures. But I still hate them with a vengeance!! and will do my very best to hunt them out and dispose of them  image 

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618

    But what will the hedgehogs eat?

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    There'll be some left.  After the nuclear winter, cockroaches and slugs will be left.

  • ZenjeffZenjeff Posts: 652

    Fidget

    Hedgehogs only eat slugs at a last resort as per this

    • Hedgehogs mainly eat beetles and caterpillars, not slugs and snails
    • The idea that they only eat slugs and snails is very wrong. Only approximately 5% of their diet naturally will be slugs or snails.
    • They will only eat a lot of slugs and snails when they are starving and no other food is available.
    • A hedgehog that is forced to rely only on slugs and snails will not survive long.  Offering a hedgehog additional food is the best thing for the hedgehog
    Slugs and snails are the primary carriers for the lungworm which is  the biggest killer of hedgehogs except for us and our careless behaviour
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016

    When I saw the thread title I had a pretty disgusting image go through my mind.  I would however happily stay out of the garden for a few days if it really did happen.

Sign In or Register to comment.