How can I stop slugs eating my flowers?

[Stefka]

Can anyone tell me of any cheap stuff I can put on my garden to stop slugs eating my plants? I tried granules Slug Killer �4.34, but after a couple of days they start eating again. Is there any household stuff I can use at all?


Thanks!

[skyep]

Stefka- You can either put your plants in pots, making it harder for them to get at your plants or put a ring of grit around your plants/ likewise a ring of crushed eggshells, they cant manage to crawl over these as it cuts them up.
Slugs will always be there, you will just have to keep reaplying whichever method you use to stop them.
If you choose the eggshell method, ask your family to
save their eggshells for you.

[Clanad]

Another method that either works very well for us is to place a few of the white foam disposable shallow dishes buried to their rims around the plants and fill them about half full of beer. They are deffinitley attracted to it and then they fall in and drown. Some people don't have such good results, but at least it's environmentally friendly...

[shaneystar2]

If the plants are in pots copper tape is very good and a really cheap method is to get a big pot of vaseline and a paintbrush and paint a line of it around the pot ..they won't cross the grease.I have just bought a couple of boxes of stuff called Slug Barrier .It's basically crushed seashell and have sprinkled it round lettuces and in wall planters of petunias with excellent results.
http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product .asp?dept_id=200357&pf_id=LS8733D
Mind you I didn't pay that price I got it for �1 a box on offer at my local QD store. You are bound to get it at a garden centre or even Wilkinsons.

[mimififi]

you can also put a barrier of bran or ground porridge round plants. they eat the bran and swell up. Then the birds come and eat them.

I know it sounds a bit cruel, but at least that is EF too and not as harsh or dangerous to plants and kids as pellets etc.

[YvonneM]

My husband goes out with a torch after dark and the salt pot They don't like salt

[Billy_Bones]

Hello Stefka, you've had a lot of good answers and they'll all help to some extent. The best method that I have found is to use NemaSlug. This is a quite expensive, but extremely effective biological control, totally harmless to other animals (unlike the pellets which kill birds and hedgehogs). You can buy it online from Nicky's Nursery at http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/ne matode.htm for �11. It is a powder that you add to your watering can and sprinkle onto the ground. Tiny nematode worms then seek out slugs and snails, burrow into them, and they die. The birds and hedgehogs then clear them away without harm! Perfect.

[Cheekystar]

never tried it but I did hear on a gardening programme that garlic flakes are good

[BriWrite]

If you have any Ivy in or near the garden, this is an ideal home for slugs. I had no bother with slugs for 20 years until ivy started growing up the outside of my fence. I have tried most of the above and the copper is effective, as is the beer. Like Yvonnes husband I go out every night and squash the little so and so's with my walking stick. I have found this to be the most effective and perversley quite enjoyable, a case of 'The gardener bites back'.