Slug/Snail Infestation

[bobski1]

Seems this summer there has been an explosion in slugs/snails in the garden especially when wet. We have a number of wildlife which roam the area so a little apprehensive to start throwing pellets around but wondering what the reason is for this, I always assumed hedgehogs kept them at bay and the general decline in population isn't helping.

Any ideas on how to curb them? I have been successful with salt but that is more for specific targeting on the deck.

[Mr Pointy]

Hedgehogs don't eat slugs - they are rubbish food & cause lungworm. Try spraying with nematodes:

http://nemaslug.co.uk/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nemaslug-Slug-Killer-Stan...

[Mercdriver]

I replaced a piece of downpipe from my roof drainage and left it lying in the garden. It was a magnet for snails. Knocked them onto concrete and took great pleasure in squashing them. The blackbirds seem to relish them.

[bobski1]

They seem to have exploded this year and seem to be everywhere especially once it's slightly damp.

I have tried salt but it rained the next day so no luck. Will buy that stuff and see how it goes will need about 2-3 packets due to size of the area.

Any tips for getting rid of the snails?

[HBelder]

When we moved into our house, we had thousands of the things.

Beer traps - cheap bitter from Sainsburys - worked wonders.

[Mr Pointy]

bobski1 said:

They seem to have exploded this year and seem to be everywhere especially once it's slightly damp.

I have tried salt but it rained the next day so no luck. Will buy that stuff and see how it goes will need about 2-3 packets due to size of the area.

Any tips for getting rid of the snails?

You can get a larger size packet for 100sqm

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slug-Nematodes-Natural-Or...

[otolith]

The nematodes have worked really well on our slugs this year, they’re gone. Doesn’t affect snails much unfortunately and they have done some damage. I mostly hurl those over the back fence.

[vixen1700]

Have had the same thing, they're everywhere and have totally wiped out my chillies in more or less one go.

Have bought these to see if they work rather than those blue pellet things:

https://lancastersonline.com/products/doff-slugs-b...

[Simpo Two]

vixen1700 said:

Have had the same thing, they're everywhere and have totally wiped out my chillies in more or less one go.

Have bought these to see if they work rather than those blue pellet things:

https://lancastersonline.com/products/doff-slugs-b...

Wool?

'The fibres of the mat then irritate the slugs/snails...'

It explains why I've never seen slugs on my wool jumpers...



The blue pellets contained metaldehyde which actually killed slugs/snails - but now banned along with everything else.

[otolith]

The blue pellets now contain iron phosphate which is apparently still lethal to slugs but takes longer to kill them and doesn’t kill anything else. We had a rat in the garden last year, eating all the wildlife friendly pellets…

[vixen1700]

Simpo Two said:

Wool?

'The fibres of the mat then irritate the slugs/snails...'

It explains why I've never seen slugs on my wool jumpers...

Yeah, when you read about irritation, it does make you go but the Amazon reviews are pretty positive.

[mickk]

otolith said:

The nematodes have worked really well on our slugs this year, they’re gone. Doesn’t affect snails much unfortunately and they have done some damage. I mostly hurl those over the back fence.

You'll find the snails come back, although it may take a few days

I'm sure I've read they return.

[otolith]

mickk said:

You'll find the snails come back, although it may take a few days

I'm sure I've read they return.

I know someone who marked them with nail varnish, they do indeed. Depends whether I succeed in hitting one of the trees with them though

[bobski1]

Applied the solution during the last few days of stores. Seems to have really worked lots of slime everywhere and holey slugs/snails. It wasn't too difficult to follow mixed the solution in a 10L cheap B&Q bucket and used a measuring jug to mark an empty bottle with 500ml.

The outside tap doesn't have the greatest pressure but it is very time consuming constantly filling up the watering can but 100% worth the hassle to get rid of these.

Read that they love to live under the thatch so plan is to scarify in autumn to remove all the hiding places and apply again. Definitely need 2 packs to cover all of the garden and a good few hours to apply it

Thanks for the help all

[otolith]

Not long after I said they had gone, we were inundated. Another dose of nematodes seems to have knocked them back again, but I think you have to stay on top of it.