Slug pellets

[Allotmenthelp]

I just wondered if someone more knowledgeable than me could help please. This spring has been my first proper attempt at growing things from seeds indoors to take up to my allotment. I’m on my 3rd batch of runner beans and cabbages as they have all been decimated by slugs and snails. Last night I went up with a spray that apparently tastes horrid and some coffee granules so I’m hoping that might help a bit.

My question is, are slug pellets still really bad for wildlife? A chap I was talking to said that Metaldehyde slug pellets are banned so the ones now aren’t as bad? I’m trying to do everything as naturally as I can and would rather give in to the slugs than risk killing a bird/hedgehog etc.

Your chappie was right. Metaldehyde IS banned. It broke down to acetaldehyde (which is the stuff breathalysers monitor) whi h killed the slugs. It was pretty harmful.

Now we have iron (ferric) phosphate, which breaks down to iron and phosphate, which are both good for plants and harmless to wildlife.

The difference between the two is that metaldehyde killed the slugs pretty quickly, so people liked it and could see dead slugs, but hedgehogs could eat them and be harmed. Iron phosphate takes a little longer and the slugs die away from view.

I mean, putting poison out there is never wholly positive is it?

They are better then the old style,ones, imho. The slugs go down into the soil before they die, so the poisoned slug doesn't get eaten by things preying on the slug: the birds, hedgehogs. But there is some thinking they may be quite harmful to worms. And some birds have been observed to eat them.

That said, I do use them, sparingly. Everything you do will have an impact on something else.

I don't grow cabbages OP because if the slugs don't get them the caterpillars do in my experience.

I have quite a bit of success with this ridiculous method of protecting runner beans. Firstly, I let them get quite big before I put them out so they are not quite so young and tender.

Then, when I put my canes in the ground I put an empty plastic bottle around each cane. Cut the top and bottom off of the bottle but leave as much bottle as you can, then snip sharp cuts like a V into the top and bottom of the bottle all round. Have I lost you yet?

Plant the runner bean inside the cane and then drop the bottle down the cane like a little greenhouse for the bean. The sharp Vs seem to keep the slugs out.

Also, if I pile up my thinnings of things like rocket or lettuce about a foot away from the beans I find the slugs eat those, not the beans.

Once the bean has toughened up and grown taller you can cut the plastic bottle down through the middle and remove it.

Right, I've realised this makes me sound like a lunatic, so I'm going to say good luck with your beans and make a sharp exit.

@C1N1C Thank you for that, that makes so much sense. I had spent ages looking online and couldn’t find anything as clear as how you explained it. I don’t like the idea of giving them a slower death though, I’ll see how my the coffee granules work.

@TheSpottedZebra Thank you. I know, putting poison down really doesn’t appeal to me either. Even when I do find slugs I put them on a hedge somewhere as I couldn’t bring myself to kill them. I can see why you do use them sparingly though as if they carry on I’ll have no chance of growing anything this year.

They are absolutely like a plague here this year. I feel like I’m offering up a buffet every time I plant something out. Just miserable

@Churchview You don’t sound like a lunatic, you’ve clearly got it sussed! I am definitely going to try that, thank you. Yes, I don’t mind the cabbages so much but runner beans just get eaten to a stub by the next day. If this batch get eaten (I’ll find out tomorrow) I will just buy some and try your trick.

Washing up bowl filled with beer will attract them.

'They will make their way to beer, fall into the liquid, and die what we hope is a rather pleasant death. Slugs and snails are attracted to the yeasty, fermented odor of beer and even prefer it to the fresh smell of your growing plants.'

'Plan to use an inexpensive beer for this project, and be sure to place these traps about every square yard (1 m) in the areas where you’re seeing slug activity. These creatures don’t travel very fast, so it’s important to have a fresh beer trap nearby so they don’t need to go far from where they hang out.'

Completely agree there are so many of them this year. Weather forecast here is drier from Saturday and they definitely don't like the dry soil as much.

It's so frustrating when you put your lovingly tended seedlings out and the little swines eat them off at the base.

It is a battle and my sweet peas/beans/peas have definitely been slug food. I bought some wool pellets which you sprinkle around the plants and when they get damp they form a little carpet which puts the slugs off. Shame I didn't put them down after I planted the sweet peas this year 🙄

I do the plastic bottle thing!

But this year I'm having to put my slug pellets inside the bottle ring!
They're less likely to be picked off by desperate robins like that too.

Marmite is an excellent substitute for beer in beer traps.

this year I’ve caught slugs sliming over my previously 100% effective copper slug rings. It’s a bloody plague.

@TomeTome I know. It’s so disappointing isn’t it when you’ve been looking after them for weeks or spending money on something to be gone the next day.

Thanks everyone. I’m going to try the bottle bean method, get some beer traps and some marmite too. Also, the woolen pellets. These will be expensive runner beans!

It’s just a sickner when all my plants have been decimated but other allotments are littered with slug pellets but have lovely vegetables. I won’t use them though, hopefully we are due some dry weather soon.

I use bran. They stuff themselves on it to the point they can barely move and the frogs and birds get more chance to eat them. I've also taken to soaking dried peas overnight and regularly sowing a slug/snail salad bar to keep them away from my veg. Cheapest peashoots imaginable btw.

I haven't used slug pellets for years but the damage this year is just off the scale, so I have succumbed I'm afraid.

I’ve got so many birds and hedgehogs in my garden( and a dog) so just can’t. 😭

Everything you do will have an impact on something else. So true! Even “friendly” methods like beer traps, or sticky traps or soap and water sprays, will kill beneficial creatures as well. And killing all the greenfly will upset the ladybirds and bluetits.

You could try Nematodes. They are supposed to be a harmless way of controlling the horrid things.

Damp pieces of cardboard, half oranges, cabbage leaves, etc next to vulnerable plants overnight, check them in the morning for any slugs using them as a shelter. Only way I can think of avoiding a bycatch. The big leopard slugs are meant to prey on other slug species and, apparently, don't eat living plants.

Dont they only work with slugs? I have barely any slugs but a biblical plague of snails devouring everything.

YouTube showed me this

https://youtube.com/shorts/gVS2DJ4ksGg?si=5SVRF5zqAbCE3kgu

I'm sharing it here for the sluggy tips and for no other reason 😍