I've had some success with Slug Gone - pelleted sheep wool that you put in a ring round the plant. Slugs don't like crossing it and it does seem to help when used selectively around particularly tasty plants. It gradually absorbs into the ground over the course of the summer.
I've done nematodes too, although I only put them on a week ago so not time enough yet to fend off the critters. My new edgeworthia has been nibbled to nothingness!
I'm quite looking forward to putting out beer traps, although I think I might have to get over the shame of buying cheap nasty beer... I know I'll be telling the very uninterested cashier 'it's not for ME, I don't drink this stuff, it's for slugs, honestly!'
The wet humid weather has brought them all out in force. My poor newly planted Aster lady in blue is taking a true bashing. I applied Nematodes about 3 weeks ago and have made a copper covered ring to go around the Aster but I find they are all coming from under shrubs and the back of trees. We've got quite a large garden and it'd be impossible to cover it in nematodes everywhere.
Netting is a hazard to hedgehogs. They can become entangled in the stuff. One of my rescues lost a leg because of it - he was trapped, and the more he struggled, the more tangled he became - I will never forget the screams from him ......
Slug pellets are also a hazard to hedgehogs.
Fruit cages (netting) can be death traps for birds. Have you ever found a bird with its foot caught in the netting, that has obviously died a painful and drawn out death - panicking because it has no escape.
As with everything it is about common sense. If you take your very extreme views, then we would never grow anything because it would all be eaten. I have used netting for years with no issues. It should be stretched out, and pegged down. Even then black birds are little beggers, and will try to sneak under in ther quest to throw compost around.
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In fact I'm cancelling the nematodes thingies and will just try beer traps and squashing the bastards
Will see how it goes and hopefully won't kill the whole crop
I'd be out ALL night and still there would be dozens of the b*******s. When I used beer traps, the only things I caught were (dead) black beetles.
If your strawberries are in a raised bed, could you erect some framework over it and cover it with netting to keep hedgehogs/children out?
All my veg are under nets, and I use slug pellets. Birds and hedgehogs can't get them. The mild winter will have helped the slimey wretches.
I've had some success with Slug Gone - pelleted sheep wool that you put in a ring round the plant. Slugs don't like crossing it and it does seem to help when used selectively around particularly tasty plants. It gradually absorbs into the ground over the course of the summer.
i may just have to live with it and fight the best i can, i need to keep my costs down in the garden... so says the wife
least the strawberries have doubled in size since the hot weekend and wet start to week
albeit the nematodes do have a good review
I've done nematodes too, although I only put them on a week ago so not time enough yet to fend off the critters. My new edgeworthia has been nibbled to nothingness!
I'm quite looking forward to putting out beer traps, although I think I might have to get over the shame of buying cheap nasty beer... I know I'll be telling the very uninterested cashier 'it's not for ME, I don't drink this stuff, it's for slugs, honestly!'
The wet humid weather has brought them all out in force. My poor newly planted Aster lady in blue is taking a true bashing. I applied Nematodes about 3 weeks ago and have made a copper covered ring to go around the Aster but I find they are all coming from under shrubs and the back of trees. We've got quite a large garden and it'd be impossible to cover it in nematodes everywhere.
As with everything it is about common sense. If you take your very extreme views, then we would never grow anything because it would all be eaten. I have used netting for years with no issues. It should be stretched out, and pegged down. Even then black birds are little beggers, and will try to sneak under in ther quest to throw compost around.
well the birds are welcome ot try but 2 cats will be sitting waiting and one is very good at catching