Re: Something for the slugs

In the past I have had good results from doing this:-  You need to eat some grapefruit or large oranges and keep the empty halves.  Put a few slug pellets underneath the upside down half of grapefruit or orange and just prop it up a bit with a stone in one place.  This will prevent anything else eating the pellets but gives enough room for the slugs to crawl inside.  After a few days you can 'empty' underneath  and start again.  The skins are weather proof too. Move them about wherever you want and hey presto!  Result.

I have also been told that if you put a ring of sawdust around your plants the slugs will avoid it as it sticks to them and they hate it.  I haven't tried this but I believe it does work, you have to hope it won't rain with this one though.

I do hope that someone likes the ideas.

Carol (Devon)

I think dry sand also works as a slug/snail barrier for the same reason.

:-)

I swear by crushed eggshells as a slug deterrant that works brilliantly around young plants. The sharp edges prevent the slugs from crossing them and saved all my brassicas! You need to replace them once a week as the sharp edges weather down and become blunt. I couldn't possibly eat that many eggs on my own but when I asked the owner of my local sandwich deli, he was more than happy to save their eggshells for me!

I haven't tried it myself but several other local allotment holders recommend coffee grounds, which their local Starbucks is happy to supply in abundance. Apparently the caffeine irritates the slugs and prevents them from crossing it!

read somewhere to spray WD40 round pots with plants . Did this and seemed to work

the smell lingers for a while but the WD40 doesn't stain the pots

  Ray

Did anyone see this about it being illegal to use coffee grounds to repel slugs.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9500584/Gardeners-using-coffee-granules-to-deter-slugs-breaking-EU-law-RHS.html

I've never heard anything so absurd in my life. I thought at first it must be April Fools Day. Luckily, there aren't too many EU enforcers around my way. LOL

I hate slugs and snails.  One of my phobias.  I have slug poison granules but it is till in the tub as I am scared to put it down incase the birds get it or my cat finds it.  Brilliant idea with the oranges and grapefruit and I will be out tomorrow to buy a dozen.  My cat hates oranges so will keep him away and the birds will not go under.  Our area is infested with slugs and I bet my neighbours will be trying this too.  Thanks for the tip!

Gosh Ray your soil must be well lubricated.