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Gardening

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Two Slugs Questions: decking & yeast trap causality

14 replies

Return2thebasic · 30/06/2021 00:15

I've sprayed nematode end of last week but am unsure about the effectiveness in my case. Just last night, my new young climber plant got chewed the worst. Hating them.

I then realised we have long decking stairs where lots of things live underneath. I suppose if slugs really live under the decking, would the nematode still be able to eliminate them at all? Can anyone share some experience?

The second question is about the aftermath of the yeast trap. I've laid two out this evening. On top of that, I hunted them nearly all evening and dropped any that I found into the happy death pond. So there are probably 30 of them in there (mostly small ones). What shall I do with them tomorrow morning? They all tell you in detail about how to set up a beer/yeast trap, but nobody tells you what to do afterwards. Any good advice please?

OP posts:
MadCatLadee · 30/06/2021 08:14

I can't answer your first question. I have used beer traps and tipped the result away into the gutter as wasn't sure where else to put it. It was disgusting and put me off using them again.

TeddingtonTrashbag · 30/06/2021 08:36

I loathe slugs beyond anything and unfortunately they are more numerous this year than I have ever seen before. We have —rotting— decking and they squeeze through in the evenings makes me feel really sick like I am surrounded. (One sat on one -threw away those trousers eithout even looking🤮) In previous years I have poured salt in the gaps in the daytime to prevent them squeezing up and seemed to have some marginal benefit. Now I just want to replace the decking with slabs…

Return2thebasic · 30/06/2021 14:02

@MadCatLadee, I poured the container into the toilet in the end. Couldn't face to deal with it any other ways. Plus, I decided to take away the yeast trap before I went to bed, as I read something which confirmed my fear - this kind of traps just draws more slugs from surrounding to your garden. Anyway, another failed night, my young climber's lower leaves got chewed up even more. They are so bare now that I think the slugs will start moving upwards... Sad Sad Sad

@TeddingtonTrashbag, I also have some garden waste piled in the back. This morning when I cleaned up part of this pile, numerous giant slugs were fast asleep down there. I used salt...mercilessly... Decking will be an ongoing problem for breeding them... Can't change it in the near future!

OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 30/06/2021 21:37

That was possibly a bad idea - slugs won’t disintegrate in the way the normal toilet contents will. You may end up with blocked drains

Purplewithred · 30/06/2021 22:01

Beer trap contents are excellent in the compost heap. Nematodes take a few weeks to work and if your slugs are elsewhere they may escape, sadly.

Purplewithred · 30/06/2021 22:02

Oh and copper rings to protect prize plants. Definitely worth the investment.

Perfectlystill · 05/07/2021 22:38

I tried nematodes a week ago and have yet to see any results. We have fake grass (sorry MN, it was here when we bought) and paving slabs.

The slugs this year are numerous and enormous and I am more exercised about them than ever before. We have a puppy so my options are limited.

BirdyBee · 05/07/2021 22:49

Send them my way i love the little things, them and snails, we have a slug and snail sanctuary at the bottom of the garden! My sister hates them and uses egg shell and copper rings to deter them or pops them in a tub to live in my garden!

EcoCustard · 05/07/2021 23:06

Frogs solved our slug invasions when we moved in. We discovered a pond in the overgrown wreck of a garden gave it a little tlc and encouraged the frogs. The little critters were everywhere even tried coming in the house. Never see slugs now a few snails but the blackbird often sees them too. If possible encourage frogs.

Anordinarymum · 05/07/2021 23:14

I have lots of lovely plants in my garden. I am also growing some vegetables/salad stuff. Yeah they do a little damage but not too much and let's face it it is their domain.
I never hurt a living thing and slugs are in that category. Live and let live I say.
If you put anything down to destroy slugs and snails or whatever you could potentially destroy birds and pets. There is no iron clad guarantee of safety when you try to poison a living thing

TeddingtonTrashbag · 06/07/2021 06:46

Frogs solved our slug invasions when we moved in. We discovered a pond in the overgrown wreck of a garden gave it a little tlc and encouraged the frogs.
We had this when we moved in because our neighbour had ponds. Unfortunately they put up an impenetrable fence so we stopped seeing frogs. You have given me a great idea for a project this summer tho’!
Would love to dig a pond but tree roots make it difficult so haven’t so far-gonna try again…😀

EcoCustard · 06/07/2021 10:34

@TeddingtonTrashbag if you can’t do the pond, sink a bucket or bowl, they don’t need much water. We have an old butler sink that the kids turned into a kind of water feature that has one resident frog, he does sometimes hop over though.

Weebleweeble · 06/07/2021 13:09

Can birds get under the decking?
They eat slugs but they need to be able to get to them.

TeddingtonTrashbag · 06/07/2021 14:09

@EcoCustard - thanks-good idea!

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