Have just read a reply from Ladybird to Buttercup about wood ash and slugs. Is it true that the ash will deter slugs? We are just in the throes of having a multi fuel stove installed on which we intend to burn mostly wood. I am quite excited...could this be the answer to the annual slug fight in my veggie patch.
Just a word of caution - wood ash acts a bit like lime on your soil and will affect the pH levels and could have a detremental effect on some plants. I would Get a soil test kit and check the pH of your soil first to check the levels. We have a woodburner and I keep a separate ash pile which I add to my soil and compost heaps sparingly when needed.
Thanks Skrumpy ..I will have a go at what you suggest and hope it works for the slugs...let`s face it anything to deter them has got to be a bonus. Pauline
Skrumpy ..I dint't mean put ash over or even near the plants...just guess which direction the slugs will come,where is their abode, usually from near a wall, under stones and then put a row of ash around that area.I have hedghogs which do their rounds at night,but I remember my Dad always used woodash. All our cooking, heating was with wood logs, as we had our own wood.Wood ash is good for the ground in small amounts.
Don't forget a ring of soot around a plant can also act as a slug deterrant. It is also a good soil additive but must not be used fresh - leave it for a least 6 months uncovered to weather. I find it particularly beneficial for carrots when used in moderation. While on the subject of carrots - a line of string soaked in creosote and stretched over the top of your carrots will help to deter the dreaded carrot fly (and help keep the cats off)! See.....all those years watching Dad did come in useful! [ March 13, 2005, 09:42 AM: Message edited by: skrumpy ]
String soaked in creosote? Sorry mate cant even put it on your fence now, let alone soak a piece of string and dangle it over your carrots :D
Not the dreaded HSE again....shame, I seem to have "lost" the lable off of my tin. Do you think the French carrot flies know it's been banned? I expect I'll have my string cut by the carrot fly protection league now. Jeyes Fluid works as well....or is that banned also?! :(
You can still buy Jeyes Fluid, but you cant use it for that anymore I believe. Something to do with the E.U. I think.
Grow Artemisa plants and put some twigs amongst the rows or your Onion and Carrot rows, excellent deterrant for this and many other pests.
Beans and Nathan As I understand it, jeyes fluid is no longer cleared for use on plants. (somebody correct me if i'm wrong) this has come about due to EU regulations. Creosote? I must say, I have not tried to buy it lately, and Nathan is pretty good at finding out where to get things. Is it a secret?
Have a look here at the size of the list of withdrawn chemicals http://www.rodan.fsnet.co.uk/pesticides.htm Thats correct about Jeyes fluid and plants Pete, but you can still use it for other jobs...its all a bit vague but I suppose the tins have instructions on them for permitted use
Pete, Creosote is available by sources that cannot be named, as it is NOT supposed to be available. There is, as I have been informed, a 'new' creosote, that has had all the good (or bad) stuff taken from it. Nathan
