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Copper tape on raised beds?

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  • #1

    Copper tape on raised beds?

    I haven't planted much out yet but I'm thinking ahead as to how I can prevent my precious crops being munched by slugs.

    I have raised beds made from scaffolding planks - would it work if I attached copper tape around them?

    Having done a search and read through some old threads it seems that there are 101 different methods of getting rid of slugs, some more gruesome than others. I'm a bit squeamish and would rather scare them off than let them in then have to ....... deep breath.......pick them up (eeuughh) and actually 'deal' with them! (Do some of you REALLY cut them up with scissors??)

    If the copper tape isn't a good idea, what other 'non-contact' methods would you recommend?
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  • #2
    Copper tape needs to be kept clean and the widths that are sold are not really wide enough as larger slugs can arch over it. Crushed egg shells if you can get enough are a deterrent. Bran seems to help but at the end of the day the way to keep the slug population down is to exterminate with extreme prejudice get an 00 number.
    History teaches us that history teaches us nothing. - Hegel

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    • #3
      I put copper tape around my new raised beds last year. When I compared the state of my lettuce to my neighbour's, it made a huge difference.

      However, it's not cheap, and it is difficult to stick to wood and is quite flimsy. Most of mine has now been ripped and blown away. If you think the sleepers have a good clean surface for the tape to stick to, give it a go.

      I'm now racking my brains wondering if I can affix copper pipe or something round the edge instead.

      Good luck!
      Caro

      Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day

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      • #4
        What I do it put the tape around loo rolls, I then cut these into rings, I then sow the seeds in the middle of the rings
        Cheers

        Danny

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        • #5
          I am going to copper tape my new raised beds, had some joy last year, i reckon a staple gun may be needed !!

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          • #6
            Agreed that they need keeping clean.

            The planter I've got outside the back door at home has legs raising it about 3 inches off the ground and each leg has copper tape all the way around. At first I had no slug issues at all but after a few rainfalls dirtied the tape up a bit a fair few slugs got past. If the tape is within about a foot of the ground, rain will gradually splash dirt onto it. Higher and it'll stay a lot cleaner.

            That reminds me - I really need to clean it again.

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