slugs & snails

[cat woman]

I have been digging up my borders in the back garden, I have come across quite alot of snails & slugs. I have put some shrubs and bedding plants in as I'm progressing, a long with slug pellets. I cant remember where I heard, read, or if I'd seen it on TV but it was said that human hair is a good deterrent in keeping slugs & snails off your plants as the hair act as an abrasive. I was wondering if anyone had heard of this and used hair and has it worked.  :-)

[bruce5755]

If thats the case, try sandpaper!!!!!!!

[smurfchops]

Apparently they don't like walking on anything 'rough' so try some grit or eggshelss.  I usually scoop mine up into a plastic container and take them over the road into the field (very humane!!) 

[rampart]

Also, diatomaceous earth is a great organic insect repellent. It is made from ground up diatom shells which cuts their little feet. Or whatever a snail walks on.

http://www.d-earth.co.uk/

[fibifooz]

I've put crushed egg shells around my cucumber plants and that hasn't stopped the slugs. I dislike slug pellets because the birds eat the dead slugs, so I tried egg shells and was very dissappointed. Maybe I'll try the diatomaceous earth that rampart reccomends. I'veread about human hair being good for slug repellant in an old folklore gardening book but I've never tried it. I put them in my composter now so they've got plenty of food and can't get out!!

[Scarlett]

rampart... the snail walks on it's one muscular foot!!

 

I always used to laugh at that in biology!!