Posted: Mon Oct 21, 13 9:49 am Post subject: Slug stuff -a few tips
I am sure you all use several methods but I have found these to work for me ; This time of year is ideal for ridding yourself of these l"il critturs as they emerge in the damp and cooler conditions to breed.I leave planks of wood or sheets of cardboard in the corner of my raised beds.Every time I visit the plot I find lots of slugs under these which can then be dealt with. Slugs shelter under the uprights of your raised beds and you can "tempt" them out with a little vegetation left in the corners or around the edges, beetroot tops recently tidied up were left and have found loads of slugs, also leave on paths between beds and you will also find loads underneath. A wooden barrel planter lifted onto the bed works well with a little vegetation in, have found they are under barrel and in it too.Even small leaves from trees can hide a half dozen or so. When there is little (ha ha!) to do on the plot it is worth spending an hour or so as often as you can to search out slugs as this stops them breeding and helps you next year. I did this last autumn and got rid of thousands, less this year and I think it helped tho drier too this summer. I put strips of sandpaper around the base of plants too, very good when the weather is dry tho paper will be ok if left as it can dry out again after rain, I even tried cabbage collars around base of kale etc and it worked a treat to deter slugs.
Ducks don't cause major damage to food crops, just the occasional nibble. My Shetlands and Campbells and one Muscovy roam the whole garden without problems. In my experience, chickens won't eat slugs, they dislike the sliminess of them, sticking to their beaks.
My ducks (muscovies) would occasionally get into my veggie patch and cause havoc. They had acres to roam in but would head straight for my lettuces and brassicas and strip them to the ground given time. I lost so much to them I ended up getting rid of the ducks, they travelled in a flock like a plague of locusts.
gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 13 2:35 pm Post subject:
I garden in wooden boxes about 18in deep by about 4ft by 2ft with runners underneath, I surround the runners with copper wire, and keep the area clear of weeds and other debris which the dreaded slug would climb up given the opportunity. This way I can sit down to my gardening and of course control the ingredients in the boxes. not that I grow very much-getting older now. I do mainly beans, spuds and salads-all slug free!
Wooden boxes with copper a good idea, I do well in containers as well.Yes spuds are a problem as I lose some and I guess that will always happen, Hence my autumn blitz to get rid of as many slugs as I can find.
gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 13 2:07 pm Post subject:
That is why I grow my spuds in boxes rather than the open ground- the slug situation in Wales is dire and has been all summer 'cos it is so moist where I am and generally warm, slug heaven.
Somewhere there is a way of making your own nematode 'soup' which is human friendly and devastating to slugs, I think on this forum, but If I were going down that route then I would just google it and see what comes up. The one I really want to keep out is the cabbage white without covering the brassicas over with fleece, I really would have liked to try a few sprouts in my spud boxes but was too late-still got some spuds in- but not worried.
Isn't it? Wrong sort of net Jamanda. I hadn't even thought of that one.
gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
Posted: Mon Oct 28, 13 2:30 pm Post subject:
Jamanda, that is a real gem!
Mistress Rose, the problem for me is that I am at 1000ft on a North facing slope so any cut down in light is a loss to my plants, but next year I will give it a go and see what happens-I have plenty of blue water pipe to form the supports.I will need to start the pipe off at the sides and push it out a bit before it goes upwards to extend out the sides in order to put in a double row of sprouts in a 2ft wide box. I have never used the fleece before, but heard that you need to keep it well away from the foliage as the butterfly is able to lay its eggs through the fleece and onto the plant.Or am I just being greedy? Maybe I'll just put 3 plants out in a single row. I had half planned to put them in after my spuds this year, but they have gone on too long.
yummersetter
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 3241 Location: Somerset
Posted: Mon Oct 28, 13 3:48 pm Post subject:
I don't think butterflies can lay eggs through fleece, they do that through netting.
bonus eggs too
Wrong sort of net Jamanda. I hadn't even thought of that one.
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