Slug Bastards

[Panda368]

They are bloody everywhere. I planted some decoy marigolds to distract but they have been munched before even flowering.
my courgettes are down to stumps. I’ve tried beer traps, eggshells, copper tape and they are still munching through the seedlings.

are there any commercial slug killers that work for veg patches? Is there anything else I can try?

Nematodes?

I’ve resorted to fake flowers. Bastard slugs have eaten everything I’ve ever planted. Twats.

Definitely nematodes!

As a back up I have found that wool slug pellets are pretty effective too.

It’s my 3rd year using nematodes and I rarely see anything get nibbled now. I treat the garden 4 times a year, every six weeks starting at Easter.

It might not be practical for your entire garden, but I find garlic water very effective (and completely non toxic), at protecting my hostas from slugs.
Just peel and crush several cloves of garlic, put in a saucepan with 2 litres of water, bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for 20 mins. Cool, and strain into an old 2L plastic drinks bottle.
Splash a generous glug into your watering can, top up with plain water, then spray it in the evening over the foliage of the plants you wish to protect.
It needs repeating after rain washes it off, but slugs and snails hate the taste and won’t eat it.
An alternative is to grow wild garlic among your plants, but it is very rampant and may take over!

We don't get many slugs because the local very agressive ants seem to keep the population in check.

I used nematodes last year and they worked brilliantly. No idea why I didn't start earlier this year but I've got an order in now. Hopefully my lupins can survive until they take effect.

i use slug traps, so get a pot (I use the plastic tubs that hummus / dips come in the supermarket) cut a whole in the top, half full with beer and then put in the garden. The slugs are attracted to the beer and then drown.. at least its a happy death 🙈

Same issue here. Four big, sturdy tomato seedlings (about five inches tall and bushy) literally chewed down to soil level over night, we had to hunt for the stumps. Marigolds gone. Peas and sweet peas, broad beans, courgettes - decimated. I've ordered some nemaslug. Egg shells and coffee grounds utterly useless.

Someone on here recommended leaving cat food out to encourage hedgehogs, which I liked the idea of, but I fear it would attract rats first.

Do they really eat all the slugs without ruining the plants?

Nematodes. We were infested with the buggers but haven't seen any since using nematodes a few years ago.

Nematodes work well. Also encouraging birds and hedgehogs. Not all slugs are bad. I use 'safe' slug pellets in moderation around the dahlias.

Pick off slugs from bottom of plant pots, seedling trays etc.

Nematodes. I used them for the first time two weeks ago and there are hardly any slugs in my garden now (and everything is growing and flowering much better than it was!). I have a very damp, shady garden so my slug population was out of control. Still lots of snails but they're easier to find and chuck over the fence into the woods.

Someone on here recommended leaving cat food out to encourage hedgehogs, which I liked the idea of, but I fear it would attract rats first.

If you were my neighbour you'd attract my greedy cat and she's useless with slugs (and rats)

If you use a proper hedgehog feeding box you won't get cats or rats. We have 2 in our garden. The opening is too narrow and bendy for a cat and if positioned with the opening out in the open you won't get rats as they're sneaky buggers who don't like to be out in the open.

We have 8 hedgehogs usually resident in our garden.

My vegetables aren't being too badly attacked this year. I'm using garlic spray, strulch around the most vulnerable plants and collecting them at night and reallocating them.

We have a small pond with lots of frogs. Very, very few slugs or snails, I think that the frogs eat them. Have to be prepared for unexpected rustling and sudden appearance of a frog when I'm gardening though and my poor neighbour suffers as her cat catches them and takes frogs to her as a present. 😮

I have been sprinkling these around my lupins!

It has worked so far 😊

Otherwise nematodes

This may be a fluke and I may wake to find my veg decimated in the morning but I seem to be doing OK. I read somewhere that slugs don't really like travelling over metal, no idea if it's true or not. I've got veg growing in containers, I've placed them on some old pallets and some very rusty metal grids at the end of the garden which I put over the pallets - I sprinkle slug pellets between the slats on the pallets to try and catch any slugs before they make it up to my pots. So far so good but I may regret posting this!

encourage frogs by putting a bucket or big plastic box on your plot, with stones so that things that cant swim can get out. i have few slugs or snails so must be down to this as i dont do anything else

bucket has to be sunk into the ground and some vegetation around it is a plus....even if its just a few weeds for the frogs to hide in

I love that you're reallocating them. Please don't allocate any to me!

😂 I'm working through my allocations list! Bloody auto correct. Relocating them to the local park. I'm hoping they don't find their way back mine anytime soon!