Copper as a slug deterrent

[IlanaK]

I read about this on another thread and googled it. I really want to give it a try, but the cost of the stuff produced specifically for gardens is really expensive.

I have landscapers in at the moment and I will have two raised beds (about 2 foot off the ground) which are about 10 foot long each. These will have lettuces and herbs in. There is also another raised planter about the same height which is enormous. Maybe 20 foot long and quite wide.

To run copper around all this will cost a fortune. But I saw this and wondered it it would work? Or is it too thin?

I'm sure it works. although that tape you linked to is very thin so they might just jump it . I bought my dad copper tape for his pots a few years ago and he swears by it.

I have some small copper planters in my garden and use them for salad leaves as the slimy little monsters won't crawl up them.

Meglet 1 - Slugs 0 . ha!

I think it'll work most of the time. I used something similar on pots and it does work very well, but I found that on very wet days the slugs would manage to get across occasionally. You just need to keep an eye out and remove them when you see them (especially on wet days when they come out of hiding, the little beggars hide underground when it's warm and dry...)

The raised beds will help a bit in any case, are they sited on gravel/brick or on lawn?

Could you alternatively try a builder's merchant or reclamation yard for some copper piping offcuts or similar?

They are earth underneath, but around them is paving slabs.

If you have some old electric flex then strip the plastic cover off and you have thin copper wire.
It works well round my hostas as the copper gives them a shock and I think that is what deters them.
Or get a duck.

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered the tape. I needed 9 rolls as I measured the perimeter of the planters today and it was over 30 metres!

Copper tape round pots works really well for me.

Ditto - parakeet , i love the stuff , it's fab . Not cheap ; but having said that i am using some of mine,still,that i bought three years ago as i had put it around edge of pots and the copper tape has aged to a beautiful colour.I also put tiny collars of the stuff around my brussell sprouts seedlings / dahlias etc and it keeps the snails and slugs away while the plants have a chance at reaching adulthood : )

I use copper tape plus also : eggshells around plants (slugs don't enjoy going over sharp surfaces apparently - so i 've heard anyway) , plus i leave a half grapefruit out or old salad leaves near my plants and the snails /slugs will often go that and leave my nice growing green stuff alone : )

I've also tried a bit of ash from the fire around plants too and that seemed to be quite effective

I use large plastic yogurt pots with the bottom cut off, up-ended around the seedling when it is planted out, and earthed into the ground a little ways. Effective and free - but you need to save them up all year!