Slugs & snails

a cheaper alternative to beer is a solution of water,sugar and yeast.dissolve all in warm water then when it starts bubbling put into traps

 

Hi Tom,

I used to use own-brand pellets but I went to homebase and found these slug pellets called Eraza. I haven't seen them before so they are probably new. According to the pack they contain a low amount of metaldehyde so are better for the ecosystem. So far so good, they seem to be working. The pack says to spread them out as this reduces the risk to pets and other wildlife.

I googled it and found this website: Eraza slug pellets

The pack looks like this :

Hope it helps!

John

 

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for the advice. I think I'm going to stick with pellets because I heard they are the most reliable. I'll keep you informed about how I get on!

Thanks,

Tom

 

Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd tell you how I'm getting on. I got some Eraza (http://www.eraza.co.uk) as suggested and have been throwing away dead slugs ever since, though I haven't seen as many during the long hot periods. Even better news - My potatoes are flowering! I didn't even know that potatoes flowered!

I'm so excited! Thanks for the advice!

 

Hi Tom,

Good to hear your potatoes are thriving...they certainly do flower and can be quite pretty I think!

There are two types of slug pellets out there - ones like Eraza based on Metaldehyde and Methiocarb which are all potentially lethal to pets, wildlife, children and the environment - and Ferramol's Advanced Slug Killer Organic slug pellets which are based on Ferrous Phosphate - which is a form of iron.

These last ones are considered to be "organic" because they are based on a naturally and widely occurring substance (iron) which is not supposed to be harmful to anything aside from slugs and snails. The Metaldehyde based pellets work by poisoning the slugs and everything else that eats them. The Iron based pellets work by stopping the slugs being able to eat anything at all, so they effectively starve.

If you don't want to use pellets long term there are all sorts of other options depending on how large an area you need to protect. Personally I much prefer barriers because they are much more permanent than pellets, you can see what's going on and they have no environmental consequences at all. Things like Eggshells and sharp gravel work well and Ecocharlie recycled ceramic shards:

http://www.ecocharlie.co.uk/seasona...snail-deterrent/slug-snail-deterrent-144.html

are even better since they absorb the mucous and stop the slugs getting across, as well as being both spiky and sticky so that the slugs get caught up in them immediately they attempt a crossing!

Copper bands give them a tiny electric shock, and placing traps - beer/cider sugar-water traps, as above, or just pieces of wood, stone, card or carpet that act as shelters - outside the barriers will allow you to collect them in the day time. "Nemaslug" nematodes are parasites of slugs and snails that live in the soil & that you water into the ground. Effective but can get pricey.