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Gardening with Joey

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Sassy Colombian said:
I'm so tired of the slugs munching on everything on my garden. I have tried the beer and haven't been successful so I'm going to try some slug pellets, looking at Amazon to order some today. I'm determined to be a slug and snail killer this growing season.

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More gravel on your surface is a great deterrent too, it has to be MILD beer too.'....slug pepets every two weeks will see them of put them down at night ...
 
ClausThomsen said:
I'd be careful what you use though. Slugs are part of the food chain and putting poison in them puts poison in their natural predators. And I personally think those bright blue pellets look a bit crap in a border. Of course there are probably other more subtle forms of pesticide but it's an industry I'm pretty wary of and struggle to see the necessity outside commercial growing.

I've grown lots of hostas in the past which are a slugs favourite. Making sure the plants were healthy and a bird feeding station which encouraged slug predators into the garden was more than enough for them to restore a healthy balance where the slugs couldn't take over. Nematodes work well also but I think you might have restrictions on their use over there.

I personally don't use chemicals in the garden bar a very weak washing up liquid solution on aphids. Otherwise I try and aim for balance in encouraging natural predators and if a particular plant is too much work to keep well without chemicals then I'll grow something else...there are plenty of something else's to be had!

Lily beetles are a good example. No natural predators here in the UK and they were obliterating my Lilies even if I was out there twice a day squashing the blighters. In the end I sacked the Lilies off and grew some Iris and Crocosmia there instead. Problem solved!
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The slugs take in a very little of formaldehyde in the pellets and return under the soil and die ......
I use 100 percent formaldehyde diluted to kill white spot on my fish ...,..etc
Slug pellets are short term a good short of rain will melt them away .....used correctly they are not a danger to wild life imo......if used correctly.......
 
ClausThomsen said:
I'd be careful what you use though. Slugs are part of the food chain and putting poison in them puts poison in their natural predators. And I personally think those bright blue pellets look a bit crap in a border. Of course there are probably other more subtle forms of pesticide but it's an industry I'm pretty wary of and struggle to see the necessity outside commercial growing.

I've grown lots of hostas in the past which are a slugs favourite. Making sure the plants were healthy and a bird feeding station which encouraged slug predators into the garden was more than enough for them to restore a healthy balance where the slugs couldn't take over. Nematodes work well also but I think you might have restrictions on their use over there.

I personally don't use chemicals in the garden bar a very weak washing up liquid solution on aphids. Otherwise I try and aim for balance in encouraging natural predators and if a particular plant is too much work to keep well without chemicals then I'll grow something else...there are plenty of something else's to be had!

Lily beetles are a good example. No natural predators here in the UK and they were obliterating my Lilies even if I was out there twice a day squashing the blighters. In the end I sacked the Lilies off and grew some Iris and Crocosmia there instead. Problem solved!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advise. I don’t use chemicals on my garden either. I have always grown everything organic and have never use pesticides or chemical fertilizers and I usually try to take care of garden pets by picking the little critters by hand but this spring slugs have done some serious damage already to my kale, bok choy, arugula and now my zinnias and it is making me so mad. But I’m going to look into the other solutions that Joey suggested, probably go back to the beer and maybe use coffee too and I also found a recipe for yeast traps.
 
Sassy Colombian said:
Thanks for the advise. I don’t use chemicals on my garden either. I have always grown everything organic and have never use pesticides or chemical fertilizers and I usually try to take care of garden pets by picking the little critters by hand but this spring slugs have done some serious damage already to my kale, bok choy, arugula and now my zinnias and it is making me so mad. But I’m going to look into the other solutions that Joey suggested, probably go back to the beer and maybe use coffee too and I also found a recipe for yeast traps.
Click to expand...
If it's Kale check for catapillars on the back of the leaf even the eggs will be visible .....remove by hand daily .....
They could be on your Zinnias too.......
 
Sassy Colombian said:
Thanks for the advise. I don’t use chemicals on my garden either. I have always grown everything organic and have never use pesticides or chemical fertilizers and I usually try to take care of garden pets by picking the little critters by hand but this spring slugs have done some serious damage already to my kale, bok choy, arugula and now my zinnias and it is making me so mad. But I’m going to look into the other solutions that Joey suggested, probably go back to the beer and maybe use coffee too and I also found a recipe for yeast traps.
Click to expand...
Have a look online for peoples home made sprays using chilli and the like, i used them in my vege garden a few years back and they did a decent job. Can also find deterrent plants to plant in amongst it that some slugs and the cabbage butterfly don't like as well
 

Joey66 said:
If it's Kale check for catapillars on the back of the leaf even the eggs will be visible .....remove by hand daily .....
They could be on your Zinnias too.......
Click to expand...
There lies one of my problems, I can be a lousy gardener on those daily task. And since finding the forum I’m getting entertained here at GOT at times when I should be working on my garden :blush:
 
cronullasharks said:
Have a look online for peoples home made sprays using chilli and the like, i used them in my vege garden a few years back and they did a decent job. Can also find deterrent plants to plant in amongst it that some slugs and the cabbage butterfly don't like as well
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion, great idea. I’m in search for a recipe. I have some spicy ghost chili pepper that should frighten any critters and human beings alike lol
 
In the UK in this dry spell refrain from mowing your lawn, to keep it green - plus save energy let it get to 4-6 inches etc then cut it ...
Also remember to dead head all flowering plants & water container first, before feeding them with miracle grow etc if they are dry your feed will not hold in your container & just run through wasting it ;)
 

Joey66 said:
They grow like weeds, just keep them humid...... lol
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Talking of weeds, my meadow grass plot has taken decent root, but they do look a bit like weeds, but pretty ones. Poppies havnt said Hi yet though. Green, yellow, pink, and blue ones so far.

So, as they are wild, do they need watering now they are established? @Joey66
 
roydo said:
Talking of weeds, my meadow grass plot has taken decent root, but they do look a bit like weeds, but pretty ones. Poppies havnt said Hi yet though. Green, yellow, pink, and blue ones so far.

So, as they are wild, do they need watering now they are established? @Joey66
Click to expand...
Yes water at night time not to often .....
 

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