The 'todes have landed!

[MrsBertBibby]

Have that you slimy bastards!

I'm pondering 'todes.'

I was so disheartened last year when every single one of my pea plants ( around 50!) got snaffled.
I'd raised the troughs, smeared Vaseline around and put a load of those wool pellets around the plants.

Not one single pea.

That's not to mention my poor dwarf beans and runner beans that were decimated in my little greenhouse/grow house.

Well now's the time to order, hit the little seine while they are small, and before they start laying more.

Can you use them yet? I've not bought mine yet, as they say the temp must be consistently over 5 degrees - great if you can, as the slugs are already out in force!

Mine are in the fridge still. Raining, tick. Soil temperature, tick. But it is due to get cold again here at night, so I am holding off for the time being.

Thank you for the reminder. They destroyed so many of my lovely dahlias last year, and I spent hours wandering around the garden in my pyjamas to catch them in the early morning. I spotted the first one yesterday, hiding under some leaves, so I'm going to be ready for them this year.

Our problem is grubs under the lawn and the badgers who like to dig holes for them, nematodes twice a year help.

I think you just need soil temp at 5 when you water in : the website says once in, they are OK with the odd frost.

I am planning to do it at the weekend. Need to clear the last of the dead leaves first, to force the slugs underground.

Great reminder, thank you. The damn slugs eat all of my lupins and hostas.

I have already started the nightly collection of the slimy bastards! They've already decimated my reticulate irises, miniature narcissi and and daffodils. They head up the stems in groups and munch the flower buds. It drives me insane

My fridge is also holding the 'todes ready for the right moment - I've held back to give the soil a chance to warm up a bit more. I just hope they do what I'm hoping.

Mine will appear tomorrow, I think, fabulous wee beasties. 😁

I'm seriously tempted this year. The little slimy bastards have eaten so many of my spring bulb buds, tulip leaves are shredded, and I'm planning to plant sweet peas in the ground soon but there's no way they'll survive my garden's slug infestation.

Do you water it into the grass, or just the borders? How do you work out how much to use?

You just water it into beds. The idea is you make a stock, then add that in 1/2 litre amounts to a can of water. You divide up you beds into sections, either literally or in your mind's eye, and each can does around 5m2. You can buy enough for 40m2, or for 100m2. Obviously no harm in overdoing areas!

A can is 5L, and you need a coarse rose to let the worms through.

Ignorant here...what are these?

Have people had good results using the nematodes on previously slug infested gardens? I'm a novice

@Susu49

Ignorant here...what are these?

Tiny Nematodes (wormy things) that get eaten by slugs and then destroy the slug from the inside leaving the corpses underground

Yes, I found perennials that couldn't get above ground took off as soon as the 'todes were applied. It was great to see when go from mangled stump to big tall delphiniums!

Less good on clay, apparently.

I dream of delphiniums *MrsBertBibby! Tried years ago but the slugs won that battle hands down.
Maybe this year with the aid of the nematodes I can try again 🤞🤞🤞

Great reminder - I’m going to invest. We don’t get too much hassle from them on the allotment but I have them in the front and back garden at home AND sometimes in the kitchen thanks to an old house and plenty of air bricks.

Q: Do they work on snails too? I have even more of those than slugs.

That's a shame they're not so good on clay as that's what I'm on. Thank you though @MrsBertBibby, I might go for it. I can't grow delphiniums or lupins, they don't last a night!

@LosingTheWill2022 thank you - sounds brutal!

@TulipsGarden

That's a shame they're not so good on clay as that's what I'm on. Thank you though *@MrsBertBibby*, I might go for it. I can't grow delphiniums or lupins, they don't last a night!

We’re on clay, and they work like magic.

Oh good @Whitney168, thank you! 😁

Mine arrived today and are in the fridge.

How do you know if you’ve got a coarse rose or a normal one??

Keep meaning to post that oat bran and slugs do not get on at all.

www.gardenersworld.com/plants/how-to-stop-slugs-eating-young-plants/