Metaldehyde slug pellets

Just heard on GQT that metaldehyde slug pellets are to be banned, except for permanent greenhouses, from spring 2020. One of the reasons being the unacceptable risk to birds and animals.
DEFRA press release here Restrictions on the use of metaldehyde to protect wildlife

 

Good! I've moved over to the ferric type that is safe for birds etc. They've been quite effective.

 

Yes they announced it a couple of weeks ago....about time too!

 

Restrictions on the use of metaldehyde to protect wildlife

"The decision to prohibit the use of metaldehyde, except in permanent greenhouses"

"It will be legal to sell metaldehyde products for outdoor use for the next six months, with use of the products then allowed for a further 12 months"


So how is permitted use in permanent greenhouses to continue if the stuff can only be sold for another 6 months?

Or will it continue to be sold, but only in packaging endorsed "only for use in permanent greenhouses", just like how Sulphur continues to be sold for a specific non-banned use?

 

Not up to speed on types of slug pellets . Concise review is below . @Snorky85 how long have you used the iron sulphate pellets for ?

Slug Bait - Metaldehyde vs Iron Phosphate - Garden Myths

 

I tend to use iron, but have heard there are problems with that.
The thing is, I'm not sure iron actually works, but I hope it has some effect.

Metaldehyde definitely works, as you can see the results.

So, does anyone know what farmers use?
as they will be the main ones putting this stuff into the environment.

 

Now I’m wondering whether mine are copper or iron based...I will check.

I’ll ask one of my farmer neighbours about what they use.

Thing is DEFRA will ban the use but no doubt wont enforce it.....same with fox hunting

 

I also heard about it several weeks ago. I get lots of info via Wiley. I along with many others are up for protecting wildlife. Perhaps once again. Too little too late.

In the main, wildlife does have the various senses etc to steer clear of dangers, hoever I have observered over many years now, the severe decline in much of our wildlife. I last saw and witnessed a thrush bashing a snail to bits in the mid 80's. Locally sparrows ans starlings are seldom seen. We used to listen to the sparoow community twittering away in the eaves and some starlings also moved in. Then all access was denied. Most of our finches had gone. Now we are left with screeching parrakeets, crows and magpies, an assortment of tits, that make up the crows diet.

 

I think whstever we use to deter slugs it will eventually be decided it is not safe or suitable!!! However, we need to protect our foodstuffs, somehow or food will be in short supply

Here, it is mostly organic.....fertilisers like fish blood and bone for example. Chemicals are used only rarely.....an early spray on lupins and lilies is enough to prevent aphids and lily beetle. Prefer torch and saline solution to pellets for slugs n snails.

Hiya Mike, sparrows down here are thriving. Large groups of them seem to be everywhere twittering away to their hearts' content

 

Neudorff : Sluggo Slug & Snail Killer

These are what I've been using - Iron based. Worked great for me....used them last year for the first time. I've actually found them better than the old type slug pellets - apart from being bad for animals etc they would go mouldy!

 

Thanks for that @Snorky85 ....been researching into what to use. It's great to hear feedback from someone that has used something, so many useless ones out there.

 

Why our problem with slugs and snails is never-ending

Old but might be of help.....the article that is!!

 

I'm yet to be convinced that wildlife is being wiped out by gardeners, I've not seen a thrush in years, let alone heard one bashing a snail on a stone.
But, they keep banning nearly every insecticide or weedkiller or any other chemical, stating it is them that are the problem.
Now I've been gardening a while, and we used to have a pretty formidable armoury of chemicals avilible to the amatuer gardener, most of which were pretty effective.
Most of that old stuff has now been banned.

Newer ones come along, but they are usually unlikely to work IMO, (just money makers), or often no new alternative.
And any that are only slightly effective get used again and again, which to my mind defeats the object.

Farmers are using all kinds of stuff we cant get our hands on, and it all seems to work.

From that I can only assume its probably food production which is actually killing off wildlife, not gardeners.
Add to that farming techniques, loss of habitat due to concreting over large areas of so called scrub land in order to build houses , rising population, and I think you can more or less use the odd slug pellet now and then and not feel guilty.

 

Agree with you @pete - the ever increasing population and everything that goes with it is what is killing our planet. But I will do my little bit where I can.

Now....what was that good idea China had about limiting the number of children allowed....

 

Don't forget the people that don't use the chemicals properly, one fail so do it again or even a 3rd time when once would have done it