how to prepare for slugs

carlowplayer

its been quite a rainy few weeks.Ive planted over a hundred flowers since eary november and hope that by the time they are sprouting in spring i am prepared to fight against any attacks from slugs.What are the best stuff to use that would not affect either the flowers or pets(two small dogs).Also is there a possibility of slugs/snails attacking them now while they have yet to bud

paddy147

Copper tape and WD40 are both fantastic at repelling slugs,especially from pot plants or rasied beds..


You could try the saucer of beer trick too.

TheGolfer01

carlowplayer wrote: »

its been quite a rainy few weeks.Ive planted over a hundred flowers since eary november and hope that by the time they are sprouting in spring i am prepared to fight against any attacks from slugs.What are the best stuff to use that would not affect either the flowers or pets(two small dogs).Also is there a possibility of slugs/snails attacking them now while they have yet to bud

Slug pellets can be bought in any garden centre or decent hardware store, they don't harm pets or other plants, unlike wd40 as another poster suggested.
What exactly have you planted as slugs/ other insects/pests may have no interest in them whatsoever.

paddy147

makes for some interesting results.

horsemaster

paddy147 wrote: »

Copper tape and WD40 are both fantastic at repelling slugs,especially from pot plants or rasied beds..


You could try the saucer of beer trick too.

I have to agree with Paddy here on copper. Any form of copper 'barrier' should be effective. Nerver tried WD40 though but based on the test in the pictures in the 3rd post, it seems to help. I have heard conflicting results on sulphur and chilli powder. Maybe someone here can enlighten me more.

Oldtree

not sure that I could condone the wanton use of a prduct in the garden that we dont know the biodegradability of nor the ingredients of nor its impact on our environment, it is after an alternative for "3 in 1 oil":

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/#a92

I would not use this product near vegetables.

There are less harmful slug pellets available but nothing seems to be better than going out with a torch in the evening to collect them, unless you adopt my view of learning to live with them as a natural hazard and find passive ways around them.

carlowplayer

i have tulips,anemones alliums,crocus,daffodils,hyacinths planted they should sprout in febuary.I want to know is this the time that i should be worrying about them or wait until they are sprouting.I once planted a passionaria and honeysuckle climbing plants last spring and they decimated them before they had a chance.Can copper sheets/mesh be found in any hardware store?

redser7

They wouldn't be a slug's favourite meal and after winter they wont be such a big problem. It's spring onwards that you want to tackle them. April and September are key months to try controlling them. In between is maintainence. Can't beat a torch and scissors. Pellets can be harmful and can lead to secondary killing - ie. slugs eat pellets, frogs, brids etc eat slugs.