Slug tape

[Borris]

My hostas are just coming up and looking fab. Last year they were ravaged by slugs. I was looking at copper slug tape but can that be used for plants in the soil, or is just to go around pots and planters? Thanks

The problem with it is that it is very thin and flimsy and I can't see how you'd get it round the plant in a complete ring without a solid surface for it to stick to. You can get copper rings that sit round the plant instead but not sure if they'd be big enough.

I found the copper tape was flimsy and useless.

Thanks. I don’t think I’ll waste my money now. Next idea is coffee grounds!

@Borris someone suggested a ring of sand around the plants?? Or crushed egg shells. Apparently the slugs hate the texture

Beer traps are the only thing that have worked in my experience. It is a bit grim emptying them, though.🤢

I tried everything. Egg shells, coffee grounds, tape, beer traps... We have plenty of frogs and birds in our garden too. None of it worked. The only thing that worked is sluggo pellets once or twice a year (they're a bit kinder than traditional pellets I believe and don't endanger other wildlife).

There's a hosta nursery that swears by garlic spray - essentially boil up bulbs of garlic in water then spray onto the leaves. You'd need to reapply after rain and I haven't tried it yet!

I use copper rings on plants in the ground, slugrings are the best, they are strong and fairly wide and have made a massive difference to the slug damage on some of their favourites including clematis, tricertys and dogs tooth violets.

I have great success with beer traps.👍

First time I used them, I went out in the dark using a torch to see if they were working. It was actually quite creepy as you could see slugs going across the lawn in lines heading straight for the traps. In the morning, the traps were full of dead (but very drunk) slugs.
After a few nights they were attracting nothing and even after not using them for a while, I only got a few tiddlers.

Haven't started yet this year but as soon as it starts to rain I will deploy one to see what it attracts.

Of course, hedgehogs and birds are the best solution but HH's are unfortunately non-existent around here (NB development).

I have a pampas grass and at this time of year I rake off the dead leaves, which are dry and stiff, and have serrated edges. Last year I cut them up and put them around my vulnerable plants, and it kept the blighters off, they don't like the sharp edges at all.

To save money use a sugar/ yeast/ water solution. Used loads last year and it was very effective.

Got a headtorch for Christmas - am ambivalent about it turning out to be my favourite present 😂

Have you tried nematodes?

Going out at night and picking them off is more effective the earlier you start, as it stops them breeding and numbers increasing later in the season.

Something I'm going to try this year is to scatter mealworms around plants prone to slug damage. This attracts robins and blackbirds who eat the mealworms then finish off anything else they find, especially tiny slugs and slug eggs - which we can't see.

Garlic spray - can’t remember if it needs boiled but 2 bulbs sprayed over them - will try to find the recipe- it was given to me from the holder of the national collection of hostas. Or if you have them in pots you can stand the pot saucer in another saucer with salt water at the bottom

Copper tape has worked for me on pots. Crushed egg shells on ones in the ground and also less emotional attachment. I used to get so upset with the bloody slugs. Love seeing them start to come up tho, they look like something from a Tim Burton movie.

I've made up some garlic solution which I'm spraying on my hostas. I boiled some cloves of garlic on the hob basically, diluted it a bit, then put it in a spray bottle once cooled - however, even though I shut the kitchen door and opened the window my whole entire house absolutely reeked of garlic for 2 solid days. So bad I had to apologise to my family. Next time I am going to try steeping the garlic bulbs in boiling water from the kettle and will be doing that outdoors! No slug nibbles on the hostas yet, though the leaves are only just unfurling. Also re-applying spray after they've been watered or if it rains.