How do YOU deal with slugs and snails?

[Strix 11]

Lets face it - Sheffield is full of the blighters

 

So what method do you use to prevent them from chomping through your plants?

 

I usually use the beer trap method - just shallow glass jars, with beer dregs in them, and the horrid little things can't keep out

 

Sometimes the path gets a good salting - if they're out in force

 

 

Funilly enough, the slug/snail population seems to have dwindled of late, but our wild bird population seems to have increased, and I'm wondering if the two are related

[zweena 10]

Lets face it - Sheffield is full of the blighters

 

So what method do you use to prevent them from chomping through your plants?

 

I usually use the beer trap method - just shallow glass jars, with beer dregs in them, and the horrid little things can't keep out

 

Sometimes the path gets a good salting - if they're out in force

 

 

Funilly enough, the slug/snail population seems to have dwindled of late, but our wild bird population seems to have increased, and I'm wondering if the two are related

 

Definitely related Strix! Maybe plant stuff birds are attracted to around your slug heaven plants (like hostas)?

 

As winter is approaching, one spectacular way to get rid of the little blighters is to turn the soil throughout the season. The frost will kill the eggs as they come to the surface. We were plagued by the damned things, but after a few chilly days turning soil, the following year was much better.

[Tracie 10]

Hehe... I've just posted my slug tips on the eco-friendly thread The beer traps, plus sharp sand have been most effective for me - if you put a line of sharp sand down around your plants, then the slugs won't go across the sand I've found it to be most effective around the edge of troughs and pots.

[spamneggs 10]

We've tried beer,wev'e tried salt and sand, we've even tried the soluble stuff you water on the plants but the best method we've found,unfortunately is waiting till its wet or damp and picking them up by hand. Its not pleasent but after several days of this we just about got rid of them all!!

[littleboo 10]

I used the copper tape from B&Q this year, its not cheap but great forr pot and tub plants.

[Pipine 10]

I tend to stick to the hand removal option as my garden is small enough to deal with that way and the other methods are too high maintenance.

 

While we're on the subject of plant munchers - anyone know a good way of getting rid of vine weevils? They're massacring my plants much faster than the slugs do and they're not so easy to spot

 

The internet tells me sticky tape round the base of plants but this is impractical with some plants...

[Strix 11]

Doesn't that warrant a new thread?

 

I'm sure lots of people will want to know about vine weevils, and it'll be easier to find on it's own

[stackmonkey 10]

I've found lots of bark chippings helps to deter slugs and snails

[Applegrim 10]

It has to be sand, we've tried almost everything but sand has worked, don't put it too near the plants, but it does work and we've had hardly any this year.

[Don_Kiddick 11]

The use of slug pellets is not frowned upon anymore as the compound used these days does not harm other wildlife that would be predators on slugs & snails.

 

So I'm back to sprinkling instead of salting

[Jabberwocky 46]

I use slug pellets but i found that crushed egg shells dug into the flower beds deter them too. They hate crawling over the sharp edges.

[Don_Kiddick 11]

Crushed eggshells will also reduce the ph of soil if it's too acid