Sluggo for slugs

Discussion in 'Pests, Diseases and Cures' started by Welshman, Jul 4, 2021.

  1. Welshman

    Welshman Gardener

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    Has anybody used it, i seem to have lots of slugs on my new lawn in the evenings when its wet……i want to get rid of them and stop from getting to my plants
     
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    • groundbeetle

      groundbeetle Gardener

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      I have never tried Sluggo, but I just googled it and it seems it is ferric phosphate, which is considered organic as it just breaks down into iron and phosphorus in the soil for plants to use as nutrients.

      Poundland sell slug killer which is also ferric phosphate, for one pound.

      I think ferric phosphate is the only kind of slug killer that it is legal to sell, since the government recently banned metaldehyde slug killer.
       
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      • pete

        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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        I wouldn't bother killing slugs on my lawn, I only use pellets around certain plants if I see some damage.
        I dont think scattering them all over the lawn is a good idea.
         
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        • Welshman

          Welshman Gardener

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          It would be just around the edges before the plant beds……..i hate the slimey little things and i got lots of veg beds to keep bug free
           
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          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            Go on a slug hunt every evening armed with a torch and bucket, beats watching the TV
             
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            • JR

              JR Chilled Gardener

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              Looking at your avatar I'd guess you'd only need to stare at them jowwy!
              ZZ top meets giant haystacks..
              But yes I've found the ferric pellets to be effective and it's always nice to know there's less risk to hedge hogs and song thrushes etc.
               
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              • Verygreen

                Verygreen Apprentice Gardener

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                Get a pedigree hedgehog they will eat slugs, cheaper than a dog but not as cuddly.
                 
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                • Welshman

                  Welshman Gardener

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                  Will stick with my dog, thanks
                   
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                  • JJ28

                    JJ28 Gardener

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                    What time do slugs and snails wake up for their breakfast? My poor hostas are in shreds. Last night I managed to remember to get torch, plastic carton, gloves and went out mentally and physically prepared to pick beasties off suffering leaves. I didn't see a single culprit. This was at around 10.30pm. Do I need to wait until midnight??
                     
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                    • pete

                      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                      It's been dryer here for the last few nights, so the snail activity has dropped a lot.
                      Best to look when the leaves are wet.
                       
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                      • NigelJ

                        NigelJ Total Gardener

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                        Mine are working shifts this year.
                        It's best when there is a good dew or after a shower. I use a head torch. Have you had a good look in the hostas as I've found a host of molluscs in the base of hemerocallis, hellebores and an amarine among other plants.
                         
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                        • pete

                          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                          I'm finding snails way up in trees, the wet weather has given them and slugs a free reign to roam at will.

                          As things dry out and warmer days they will be looking for places to hide up.
                           
                        • JWK

                          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                          Snails are climbing up my Brugmansias and getting at the leaves and flower buds, some 6ft high. They are also going for my Ricinus. Both these plants are highly toxic, Ricinus is used to make Ricin but they love them none the less.

                          I go out just after midnight with a head torch same as Nigel. There were not many last night as it was dry for the first time in ages. I usually find a couple of dozen and no matter how many times I collect I seem to find the same number each night. I can't find them at midnight on my Hostas I think they creep out later for their breakfast.
                           
                        • NigelJ

                          NigelJ Total Gardener

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                          My Aconitum also suffer from slugs and snails not badly, but even so. Obviously different metabolisms.
                          @JWK
                          I blame the chap below and his mates.
                          Snailmaker (large) - David Goode Bronze Sculpture
                           
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                          • groundbeetle

                            groundbeetle Gardener

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                            I planted three Campanulas a few months ago, and one of them has had all its leaves eaten leaving only stems, presumably by slugs. Another one has had a lot of leaves eaten, with just the stems left, but still has a lot of surviving leaves and beautiful starry flowers. The third one, with white bells, seems to have been totally destroyed, I can't find it anywhere, though maybe it will grow back. I had taken a cutting off it months ago and put it in a totally different spot, which touch wood hasn't been troubled by slugs, and now has a few white bells on it. I put a lot of ferric phosphate slug pellets down today, so hopefully that will work. I am starting to wish I had invested in some slug nematodes, though it does seem to be only the Campanulas that are getting eaten by slugs, they have mostly left everything else alone. And there are so many different pests, I kept finding lots of caterpillars on my nasturtium leaves and finally pulled up the nasturtiums and threw them on the compost heap, they weren't flowering, they were badly eaten by caterpillars and they were taking valuable space and light from other plants.
                             
                            Last edited: Aug 20, 2021
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