I've killed so many slugs and snails in my garden this year (especially since I discovered slug pellets called Eraza - OMG, there's piles of bodies everywhere!) that I'm actually starting to feel pangs of guilt! Everything in nature has a purpose, so I'm just waiting for Chris Packham or someone of that ilk to tell me that slugs and snails are good for the soil ecology or something...
Thanks for adv everyone. Dove that link was scarily informative. So secondary poisoning soes occur... Eek. I only use pellets sparingly but will have to stick to mu method of after dark collection instead.
angie, Chris Packham would say predation is natural, you are just predating the slugs!
I agree with Dove that nematodes are the way to go.
I've got a large garden so need to buy the 100 sq m pack. Not cheap but so worth it.
I applied during early May ... and have just re-applied.
I still do an occasional evening "slug hunt" ... if it's warm and damp ... ideal slug weather. In the past I would have got 400+ .... the total caught is usually <20. The hostas have never looked so nice ... and the erythroniums were lovely this year too.
I figure that the cost is equivalent to buying a couple of plants ... so put like that it doesn't seem too bad if it saves things I've already got.
I also get to spend more time gardening rather than constantly slug hunting.
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Aym280, I'm glad it's not just me that's been plagued with SSs this year. Couple of weeks back, it was so bad with black slugs, it was like The Birds, only with...slugs. Tried dropping them into a bucket of salty water, won't do that again, it doesn't kill them instantly, some were crawling out the bucket. Then there's the disgusting remains to dispose of... Have gone back to stamping on any snails I find, always say sorry as I do so ? and black slugs I chop in half. Plus using these amazing slug pellets, sparingly and judiciously. Weirdly, next morning I find other slugs apparently eating the slimy remains. Eugh, this all getting too grisly, not to mention time consuming. I too agree that nematodes are the best solution, a friend used them last year and has seen very few SSs since. They are expensive though, when you have a big garden to cover.
I've never seen birds eat slugs, dead or alive. I've seen little toads in my garden tho', hope
Sorry, pressed send button by mistake. Hope the frogs don't eat the poisoned slugs. Main thing to worry about is dogs, they really are dumb enough to eat slug pellets. Apparently one pellet per square yard is enough to be effective, no need to chuck them around in great piles like some of the old boys down at the allotment do...
I went on Slug hunt this morning at 04.30 ( on my way to work ) I found loads of those creamy white ones on the lawn ( found out about these on another thread ) and loads of large greyish ones eating my Marguerites and Marigolds, so out came the scissors and snip went the slugs, they were then thrown on the lawn for the birds to eat, with no risk of poisoning from pellets.
I hope folks don't think this is too gruesome, but the Slugs have gotta go.
Posts
I've killed so many slugs and snails in my garden this year (especially since I discovered slug pellets called Eraza - OMG, there's piles of bodies everywhere!) that I'm actually starting to feel pangs of guilt! Everything in nature has a purpose, so I'm just waiting for Chris Packham or someone of that ilk to tell me that slugs and snails are good for the soil ecology or something...
Thanks for adv everyone. Dove that link was scarily informative. So secondary poisoning soes occur... Eek. I only use pellets sparingly but will have to stick to mu method of after dark collection instead.
angie, Chris Packham would say predation is natural, you are just predating the slugs!
GFFinch - use nematodes? :-)
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi,
I agree with Dove that nematodes are the way to go.
I've got a large garden so need to buy the 100 sq m pack. Not cheap but so worth it.
I applied during early May ... and have just re-applied.
I still do an occasional evening "slug hunt" ... if it's warm and damp ... ideal slug weather. In the past I would have got 400+ .... the total caught is usually <20. The hostas have never looked so nice ... and the erythroniums were lovely this year too.
I figure that the cost is equivalent to buying a couple of plants ... so put like that it doesn't seem too bad if it saves things I've already got.
I also get to spend more time gardening rather than constantly slug hunting.
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Aym280, I'm glad it's not just me that's been plagued with SSs this year. Couple of weeks back, it was so bad with black slugs, it was like The Birds, only with...slugs. Tried dropping them into a bucket of salty water, won't do that again, it doesn't kill them instantly, some were crawling out the bucket. Then there's the disgusting remains to dispose of... Have gone back to stamping on any snails I find, always say sorry as I do so ? and black slugs I chop in half. Plus using these amazing slug pellets, sparingly and judiciously. Weirdly, next morning I find other slugs apparently eating the slimy remains. Eugh, this all getting too grisly, not to mention time consuming. I too agree that nematodes are the best solution, a friend used them last year and has seen very few SSs since. They are expensive though, when you have a big garden to cover.
I've never seen birds eat slugs, dead or alive. I've seen little toads in my garden tho', hope
Last edited: 18 June 2016 08:58:01
Sorry, pressed send button by mistake. Hope the frogs don't eat the poisoned slugs. Main thing to worry about is dogs, they really are dumb enough to eat slug pellets. Apparently one pellet per square yard is enough to be effective, no need to chuck them around in great piles like some of the old boys down at the allotment do...
Attract frogs or toads to your garden. I have 4 adults and as soon as they arrived my slug problem disappeared. Frogs and toads love slugs.
I went on Slug hunt this morning at 04.30 ( on my way to work ) I found loads of those creamy white ones on the lawn ( found out about these on another thread ) and loads of large greyish ones eating my Marguerites and Marigolds, so out came the scissors and snip went the slugs, they were then thrown on the lawn for the birds to eat, with no risk of poisoning from pellets.
I hope folks don't think this is too gruesome, but the Slugs have gotta go.
Sheps...
Yuk I do not think I could snip the slugs.. What about the snails..?
Last edited: 19 June 2016 23:19:27
I tend to put up with the Snails, BLT...I collect those and deposit in the front garden as I only have hanging baskets out front
Sheps...