Eco friendly slug/snail control

[Matt84]

I have planted runner beans up a trelis for a couple of years and they have always been ok however this year they have been hammered by slugs so unfortunately I have resorted to using some slug pellets sparingly. I know these are not ideal and i'm regularly binning the dead slugs to avoid other animals eating them however what are the best eco friendly and economical ways to deal with these. I've tried the copper rings however the slugs still seem to be finding a way to eat the plants(I havent even left leaves overhanging so they have a bridge) and we even have some slow worms nearby. Any suggestions would be really helpful as i've created a wildlife garden and i'm happy for them to munch their way through any orher plants, just not these if possible!

Next couple of questions:

1. If I was to use pellets, which are the most eco friendly ones to use that will repel other animals and acause minimal impact

and 2. Once the beans are at a sufficient size to cope with slug/snail damage I plan to either scoop up all the pellets or add a layer of spoil to cover them. If I covered them would they kill other organisms in the soil and would I be better off just scooping them up and binning them.

I just don't want to kill more slugs than necessary as they will provide food for birds/slow worms etc.


Thanks for any advice.

[vicky]

I use the Organic pellets made by Growing Success if I have to - if used according to instructions (ie sparingly) they claim not to be a danger to animals.
Beer/milk/OJ traps are good but need topping up.
Barriers of barn/ash/crushed egg shell also work to some extent.
Upturned orange halves - they hide under and then you can get them!
Nematodes (expensive)
And you could do patrols at night after rain - bucket of salty water....

[Sanjo]

[QUOTE=vicky;867126]I use the Organic pellets made by Growing Success if I have to - if used according to instructions (ie sparingly) they claim not to be a danger to animals.

Ditto. On the tub it says that the slugs burrow down once they have become affected by the pellets and therefore not a danger to birds. I too use them sparingly and so far I have had little slug damage compared to other years. They were about £4+ from B & Q but I am sure I got them cheaper somewhere else, I just can't remember where!

[Germinater]

Iv heard leaving a few s
All glasses of cheap larger near them helps as the slugs and snails like the smell and are attracted to the beer instead.just fish them out each day..

[mrswadders]

I've been using used coffee grinds, collected from work, it seems to be working a treat even round my celery plants!!!
Sure I read about it somewhere on here a while back

[chris]

There's quite a few threads about it - I posted one about organic slug pellets a couple of months ago.. let me go find it.

Ah, here we are: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ets_57767.html

For me, these seem to be working. They are being taken actively though, so every couple of days I'm having to put some more down. I missed a week of it, and have had my sunflowers devoured, and a few courgettes/pumpkins.

[Plot10]

I use coffee grounds too, all the Cafe's on campus give them away though sometimes you need to ask in advance so they know to keep them for you. I think most coffee places, even the big chains are happy to give them away.

You do need to top them up if it rains but so far it's been pretty successful.

[Leeds_lad]

Organic slug Gel. It works wonders and can also be used on vertical surfaces and doesn't get washed off by rain

[Two_Sheds]

Here's a great slug article I wanted to share with you all: Slugs

[Aberdeenplotter]

Interestingly written in 1996. very little writen about nematodes which were just being introduced at that time.