MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Does copper really work in keeping out the slugs?
A friend who's a serious organic gardener rated it. I read somewhere it's cheaper to use the thinnest central heating pipe hammered flat rather than the purpose-made strip. Dunno if it's still true.
Oh, and she used to buff up her copper strip to keep it shiny. Had it around the rims of tubs.
Copper does seem to work. I use the tape version, only problem is the adhesive isn't that great. I don't rely solely on copper tape, also use beer traps and the odd late night slug picking session. The little sods end up in bucket of salt. Organic gardening is a challenge.
I was listening to gardeners question time the other day and there was an article on using nematode worms to control pests, namely slugs. not sure how much a treatment costs but apparently its very effective and doesn't poison anything else as they are specific to species.
Indeed we normally have a fright-night level of slugs ascending our house walls every night (like 40+). No we don't live on an indian burial ground. We've done two treatments with nemaslug (single packet £8ish depending on source, split in two) and now have virtually none. A lot less effort than copper strip, and probably about as expensive.
Wouldn't bother hammering microbore flat, you could almost use copper wire - it's the same principle as when you put alu foil in your mouth and it makes any metallic fillings tingle/give a sour taste - only to a slug that's REALLY unpleasant.
You don't want to cut them out completely as they're good for the birds but apparently the weather is right for a glut this year.
I must have mutant slugs then... Saw one chap going right over a band of copper tape the other night and our raised bed thing is still getting unwanted visitors overnight. My poor habanero plant is suffering.
The only thing I can do is keep picking them up and getting rid of them in the drain. When we had chickens it was easy, just give slugs and snails to the chickens. Now though, it's a nightmare.
Just been going through all the trays and pots, lots of the little buggers....
I will give the copper thing a go as I dont like using pellets/poisons etc.
Sounds like copper around your veg patch could be a lot better than nematodes, if you want to keep the birds happy.
Just get a dog with a sick habit.... eating/killing/mawling slugs.
He genuinely hates them, we used to get them coming under back door, its as if he could hear them. Would run upto back door barking and if they came more than a foot into the room he would pick them up with tips of his teeth and fling them around, usually not killing them but splatting them against wall, nice!
Best solution we found in the greenhouse was to raise all plants on a grating above a bed of sand. We've seen a rapid reduction in the number of slugs in the greenhouse but that may change when we can't stop the plants contacting the glass.
You have to be careful with dogs and slugs/snails. Some of them carry heartworm or lungworm and it can be deadly for them.
Raised and bed of sand trick works, but my favorite weapon is a nest of slow worms 😉
Why do slugs and snails take no interest in the weeds in our garden? That's what I want to know.
I have a bit of a wildlife sanctuary around the veggie patch and I didnt want to use pellets or anything that would harm or kill the slugs, so I am looking for friendly ways to keep them out.
Just been through the mini greenhouse and cleared a few out, they are now sun bathing on the bird table....
I think having been away for 2 weeks, the little buggers have had a holiday too, munching away on my courgettes and squashs. 🙁
On th eradio I heard a commendation of porridge oats. Apparently they kill the slugs without causing harm to anything that might then eat said slugs. I have tried it on my squashes but the pigeons just came and ate all the oats.
Sounds like copper around your veg patch could be a lot better than nematodes, if you want to keep the birds happy.
Screw the birds, I got herbs and veg to grow! I put enough seed and suet out for them greedy ****ers!
Why do slugs and snails take no interest in the weeds in our garden? That's what I want to know.
Same reason you don't. Why chew on couch grass when you can tuck into a delicious butternut squash that someone's conveniently left out for you.
Fair point.
We have an epic snail infestation but only on the front path, on a wet evening. NOt really a problem as nothing has been badly devoured - but I wouldn't mind geting rid of them - nematodes?
Rather than flattened copper tube, how about the copper braid stripped off of some co-ax cable and tacked to whatever surface you need? Very flexible, can be bent and curved around anything, and the wire core could be used too.
Also, what about attaching one of those cattle-fence transformers to it? Would the current be enough to stun them?
Just a thought... 🙂
You can actually get copper strip on a roll. We have some at work, its about 25mm x 100m and cost something daft like £30. I think they use it for part of chips/electronics (bus bar/earth strap, something like that).
Havnt read the whole thread but have seen this 'copper role' on bettaware mags - believe it to be a bit cheaper if you know anyone that does bettaware?
So the vegetable survive but all of the scrap metal within a half mile radius gets stolen?