Foolproof slug repellents? Please?!

[TobyLerone]

I don't use slug pellets.

This year the little bastards are eating my veg seedlings before they've even broken the soil!

The ones they're getting to are on the top shelf of one of these. But I know that's only the start, and they'll be all over everything once things are properly sprouting :(

They really are the most evil little sods aren't they?!!!! I've used copper tape this year, and thus far it's a success! I'd stick some around the frame at the bottom of your greenhouse, and perhaps on the edges of the shelves too. I also highly recommend nematodes for treating your soil when you come to planting out. We will win the battle!!!

A torch and a pair of scissors at dusk/when it's damp...gruesome but quick

If things are in pots, I mixed salt and Vaseline into a paste and smeared it round the rim.

I was often found with a torch and a pack of salt.

I'm a nice person really, just not to slugs.

^Ohhh yes I'd forgotten about prowling the garden after dark with salt and torch in hand! ...glad to now I'm not the only one! I find a hot skewer is a rather satisfying method too ...don't forget the oven gloves!!!

..know!!!!

Oooh, I like the salt and Vaseline idea. I've tried salt before but could never get it to stay where I put it. Definitely going to try that!

I was going to try copper tape exactly as Melina suggested. However, I went into Homebase on the way home to get some, and found some slug pellets which are suitable for use in organic gardening (although I don't grow strictly organic veg, I'd prefer not to put actual poison on them). Apparently they turn in to ferrous sulphate. So I shall try those combined with the salt and Vaseline idea.

Little buggers!

Thanks, ladies

My mum reckons the best hostas she ever saw were grown by a lady who swore by a mixture of garlic and water, sprayed onto the plants every week or two (depending on the weather I guess). Not sure how it was made but might be worth a google. here, for example.

I've also read that starting really early (which probably means before now - just as growth starts, unfortunately) with only a couple of pellets around each plant is far more effective than using loads of pellets later in the season. I've tried that this year, and so far, so good (we are slug heaven here, so watch this space...)

I read about garlic during my extensive googling yesterday. Thank you :)

I'm Definitely going to give garlic a try too, it may even keep those pesky cats at bay too ...but that's another story!!! Thank you Midnight

beer in yogurt pots had some success for us, until the dog drank it all...

Has anyone tried Nematodes ?

Melina, Homebase also sell some kind of Pepper Dust which is supposed to keep cats off your garden. I'm trying that next!

Nematodes work well but the conditions have to be right and they are expensive because you really have to keep doing it. I've had good success doing it at the start of the season. I don't have much of a problem with slugs but snails here. I picked them all up after it rained the other day wearing disposable gloves, put them in a plastic bag with a twisty tie round the top and put them in a bin at the outdoor shopping centre :o

CBA with with torch method, so I create slug-hotels for the little buggers to congregate under during the day (nice, cool water-filled saucer is great), then massacre at leisure.

We have beer traps, slug pellets (organic) and garlic/onions surrounding the tastiest food.

Plus a hedgehog which seems to be stuck in ours/nextdoors garden (walled garden split)

Thank you Toby I'll pop and fetch some of that tomorrow! ...failing that a pack of Doberman's is the next plan!

I've tried Nematodes, and yes they do work extremely well, but as Christine says you do have to keep the treatment going! ...loving your shopping centre bin saga

With the surplus of garlic we'll have next year I will have to tell Mum about the garlic idea, we don't have many slugs here luckily, but there seem to be rather a lot of snails, who have found my delphinium shoots, looks like torch patrol starts soon...

I found a recipe for the garlic wash online:

Take 2 bulbs of garlic - crush them

Add the crushed garlic to 2 pints of water

Bring water to the boil and boil for 4 minutes or until you get a powerful garlic smell

Strain mixture and bring back up to 2 pints

Let mixture cool and then bottle.

How to use:

Measure a tablespoonful of the mixture into one gallon of water and use to sprinkle over leaves or the plant. Do this in the late afternoon so it will dry onto the leaves - that's it.

^Wonderful, thank you for this Christine, I'll be doing this tomorrow!!!

Tell me how much it stinks your house out :o We've got people coming over and my cooker fan has died!

I didn't get chance today (spent too long at the garden centre), so shall definitely report back to you tomorrow ...stinking of garlic of course

Yep, definitely one for a day when you don't have guests!!!!!!! One heck of a stink, such a good thing that I love garlic! ...the scented candles have been put to good use! x

Our neighbour has what is basically a big washing up bowl half buried in the undergrowth and frogs seem to like living in and around it. Hence we have barely any slugs in our garden at all. Unlike my last house which was a major slug metropolis. I have wondered if it would be worth making a small pond and getting some frogspawn.

I used to have a frog but I think the neighbours cat got it as not seen it for a couple of years now. Since it went the slug population has gone through the roof! :(

i think i read somewhere that its illegal to take frogspawn from the wild - my ex cow childminder did it so it stuck in my mind