Copper Tape

[julia-mag]

Well I have tried out the 'copper tape' theory and my slugs must be very 'dim' because they do not understand that they are not supposed to go across it! I planted a dahlia which already had shoots into a pot, bound the pot in 3 rings of copper tape and put the pot on top of an upside down flower pot (7" tall) and what did I see this morning? Yes the slime trail of slugs all over the plant itself! Eeurgh ! I am watching my summer bedding, the antirhinums and geraniums do not get touched ! Verbena got eaten away...... Any more plants they wont touch?

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps you forgot to wire it up to the mains ?
(joking !)

[julia-mag]

What a good ides OG ! Might possibly wake me up as well!

[rockyracoon]

I've found the only thing that has worked for me is crushed eggs shells, they don't like trying to cross them.

[Old_Geezer]

Into how small pieces does one crush them ?

[julia-mag]

I also tried the egg shell theory. I used to bake them in the oven and then they crushed very well but it only had real effect when the earth was dry, (when the slugs stay in mostly anyway) because when they were wet the slugs used to just slide over them as they were smooth pieces, I also tried sand which had a fairly good effect but had to be respread after rain as it seems to get into the earth and disappear. I know they dont go for dandelions, but neither do i ! They have devastated my new 'daphne ' plant from last year.

[Chipchopper]

There are battery and solar powered, electric slug fences available (Sedriously) but only really practical on raised beds, apparently slugs do a U turn when they touch them.

I planted a plant, known as eupatorium in my garden and found it had been eaten down to the ground the very next morning (slugs and snails prime susspects). I sprinkled some spent coffee grounds around a marker stick, where the plant had been and sweet joy! two weeks on, the plant is now 6 inches high and growing well.

[julia-mag]

Thank you everyone for your contributions to my problem, but I am wondering just what soil slugs like best/ worst ? Would it be clay , for its dampness, but clay is heavy and solid, do they not like sandy soil because it is so gritty? Some peoples gardens seem to grow slug loving plants without trouble, I just look at the council's park gardens which do not seem to be plagued by anything! Why not?

[Chipchopper]

Well Julia,
In my humble opinion, slugs and snails don't seem too bothered about soil types, you just get a different species of slug/snail that prefers that soil type, I'm close to woodland, so I get slugs like the leopard slug, as well as all the common or garden types.
Some of the gardening expert seem to send out mixed messages, saying things like : Try not to be too tidy, work with nature rather than against it. In the next breath they might say something like : Keep the garden tidy, don't leave things laying around like old pots or plastic sheeting, that might act as a harboring or breeding ground for these munching mollusks.
Other factors to consider, is that some areas may have more things that predate on the sluggs/snails, like song thrush's, hedgehogs, toads and the like.
What I would suggest is try to attract would-be slug eaters and if you have stack of pots etc, then store the in the shed or away from your crops to minimize any damage, I guess its never gonna be all roses in the garden but hey life's for learning, and we gotta keep trying!
Good luck...but give the coffee grounds a try!

[julia-mag]

I will certainly try the coffee grounds theory, will beg from my daughter as we don't dink coffee. I still get the occasional hedgehog in the garden, but too many been killed crossing the road to get to my garden and I have yet to see one eat a slug ! They must have filled up before they got here. I have not seen a toad here , only very small frog (about 3 in 54 years), I blame my neighbours for my slugs as one has slabbed down the whole front garden and grass at back and other neighbour is grass at front and back, so my plants are like a feast! Oh well,(I tell myself) be generous Julie , I do encourage the birds but unfortunately found dead baby great-tit this morning and a seagull who would not move away from me, I am sure he was the culprit but I could not let him eat it!