Slugs and greenhouses

Has anyone any experience with using nematodes?

 

This is to remove the slugs when you run out of pellets!

 

You could also have eggs in the pots. Much less easy to spot

 

Not in the greenhouse but should work if you keep the soil moist. You should have enough to do the greenhouse and a couple of borders as well. I have had varying results. They don't work so well with snails and are expensive. Last year we had a dry hot spell just after I put it on (outside not in the greenhouse) so there weren't so many slugs anyway then in July we had loads of rain and loads of snails. Still finding them.

 

@Baalmaiden
I just popped that in, out of curiosity. I should have probably started a new thread, but I'm here now.
I read an article, in a newspaper, on line, extolling the virtues of nematodes as slug/snail control.
Interesting!! So I looked them up, as I know nematodes can be root pathogens.
The species they use, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, preys on slugs and young snails in the soil. May be a native, but not found in USA. OK so far, but.....
They have to be reapplied every 6 weeks, to give ongoing protection, as once they have killed the slugs, with no food left, they die.
That reads like a recipe for species extinction. If they run out of slugs, surely evolution would have enabled them to would switch to another species, but what? Earthworms, larva, pupae? Reports, though, say they just die off. Parasites NEVER eat themselves out of existance.
I have seen it said that soil with very high organics, which is gastropod heaven, would probably be the only way to maintain a population.
Thoughts.

TIA

Fof

 

I guess it’s like any natural cycle, the parasite population will crash if it runs out of its food source and then gradually a natural balance will return. Whether they also feed on other things, I don’t know and couldn’t guess.

Another factor is whether they distinguish between the “good” and “bad” slugs, am guessing not.

 

If you have a strong stomach, you can make your own nematode drench for slugs-

Slug 'em with a deadly homemade concoction of nematodes.

 

Hi All

Basically its keeping the greenhouse clean and tidy and checking under pots regularly and especially this time of year as it gets warmer ,,, I use a slug hotel with some larger in , they have a party ending.

Spruce

 

It works ok outside if you have a water barrier (my stand sits with the legs in trays of water that the slugs don't like to climb) because slugs can't yet fly (unless you provide the kenetic energy) but in a greenhouse it's less effective because they can climb the glass and drop on a mucus filament. It does still help but you have to keep a check on the pots.

Down our allotment there are plenty of people who use the blue tide of slug pellets (I dont know why they don't read the back to see how few you need) which is nice for those of us who don't use them because they attract them from miles away, hopefully bypassing our crops.

 

I have used them for a number of years, I think they help especially in the veg plot, but have not done any controlled experiments.

 

I've also seen them applied a bit like mulch.

 

It seems from information gleaned from my agricultural contacts that these new phosphate pellets are less effective by a factor of ten. Each slug needs to consume at least one minipellet and even the full strength preparations used agricuturally contain only 2.9% phosphate ,leaving plenty of energy in the pasta flour to sustain the slug in its further grazing. With slug trap results showing populations of 140 per sq metre commonly, it is not surprising that the losses to UK wheat production are estimated at £ 45million per annum. Thats 300000 tonnes of grain.

 

When I used to use the old banned slug pellets the birds never touched the poisoned slugs and snails. The slugs used to foam very quickly then dry up. I have read that the new slug pellets with iron in them aren't good for birds and hedgehogs either. I tread on snails and snip slugs, but it's more time consuming and best done in the dark with a torch.