Slugs in compost

I have had two plastic 'Dalek' type compost bins for over a couple of years now ... No 1 was closed up over a year ago when it was full to the brim and I started using No 2 ..... this weekend I decided to re-open No 1 and see what was in there ... great compost !! really pleased and all I have done is chuck in veggie and fruit peelings from myself and neighbour plus cardboard etc ... I have filled quite a few very large garden pots and can then use the compost as and when I want .... now to No 2 which is almost to the brim - I noticed quite a few large greenish slugs in among the peelings - these are really huge, at least 3 inches long and a lightish green 'dappled' colour which reminded me of pickled gherkins - didn't mean to put anyone off eating !! but they are that sort of dappled colour - I never got these into bin No 1 - so am wondering if it is OK - I am used to all the other creepy crawlies - but these are horrible - so can anyone tell me if it is OK to leave it now, close up the bin until next year, or pick them out or what ??



Many thanks ..... Val

 

Hi Val,

If they can't get out, they'll die off when the food runs out, but they will leave eggs in there so Organic slug pellets and/or beer traps might be an idea, in fact you could put some beer traps in the bin.

There was a similar slug in my garden in Wales,carnivourous, used to find them with earthworms half way down there necks.

Don't worry about putting me off my dinner, when I opened the thread I thought it was in the receipe section.

 

Thanks for quick reply Ziggy - I did think about slug pellets but was not sure I could use them or not ... I will put a few in but will get someone else to turn the compost over a bit as I really don't like the look of these blighters at all !

Val

 

I cringe when I accidentally touch one.

Worse thing was when i'd left my beer can on the patio & I went back to finish it without putting the light on.

There was a fat 6inch long late summer slug curled right round the rim, which I thrust straight into my mouth.

Awuggghhh!!!

 

Bonus. A bit of free protein. The Spanish call it 'tapas', the tradition of placing little portions of food on top of your drink.

 

I've got a tale about tapas. I'll tell you later on.

 

So you had a SLUG of beer?


D

 

In the worse possible sense.

Haven't drunk beer for 2 years now.

 

that's enough to put anyuone off a drink

 

and I have eaten snails but not the ones from my garden ha ha
But these slugs are not normal see my first post about them - absolutely huge and look like gherkins yeuk !!

Val

 

I get the same gherkin type of slugs in my worm daleks Val - always at the top. I've never discovered any when digging out compost from the base of the bins and I've never found any roaming about in the garden or pots. I suspect that they just live in dark places with plenty of rotting veg material to feed on.

 

They won't do any real harm, when you empty the bin throw them on the lawn for the birds or get some chickens and let them sift the compost for you.

 

But these aren't ordinary slugs - they are huge .... chickens ???? not in our little estate -