Slugs and Snails
Slime warfare
Slugs and snails have an amazing ability to wreak havoc on the garden. But with a little knowledge and the right tools you can protect your plants.
The short answer to the problem of slugs and snails is integrated control. There are many weapons in the war on slugs; you can choose to use several of these methods for a more complete control, or just one or two. Whatever you decide, choose wisely and use all products with care and respect to limit their impact on the environment of your garden and any adjoining land.
Protect your Plants
Barriers that surround you plants by an impenetrable layer can be very effective but you need to keep a close eye on them to ensure that the barrier is not breached. If they are bridged in any way by foliage then they fail immediately. Use Westland Slug Blocker, this easy to use barrier gel protects garden plants from attack from crawling insects, slugs and snails. What’s more it is environmentally friendly, contains no poisons and totally biodegrades into the soil over time, so it is safe to use all around the garden. You can even apply it to vertical stems and surfaces. Simply apply an uninterrupted line of gel around the plants. You can use it whenever slugs, snails and crawling insects are active. It is also rain resistant. Apply at any time when slugs and snails are active or when damage is expected or seen, simply apply an un-interrupted line of gel, 3-5 mm wide around the plants, preferably 10-20 cm away from the plants themselves. You can also apply the gel onto the soil, paths, tile floors, around the rims of flowerpots, sowing seed boxes and planting containers.
Fast and Effective
Slug pellets when used correctly offer a fast and effective solution to slug problems. The Westland Slug Buster is a safe and very effective way to control slugs. This premium formulation contains deterrents to discourage animals and pets from eating them. Use Slug Buster at the recommended rate only, applying pellets sparingly as directed on the instructions. Use responsibly and do NOT pile it up in heaps around the garden. The ready-to-use Slug Buster is based on a pasta technology, which is rain fast and lasts longer in the rain. This special new rain and mould resistant formula keeps the pellets working longer and less likely to break up after a rain shower. This means that they will not need replacing as often as some other slug pellets and will control slugs and snails effectively. Slug Buster contains Metaldehyde and for safety reasons it also contains a unique stench agent designed to deter dogs and an animal repellent to minimise any risk to domestic animals. Alternatively choose Westland Slug Attack which will deal with slug populations but may need replacing more often, especially after rain.
Manual control
Traps are an excellent control but are not for the faint hearted. They need to be emptied regularly; dead slugs smell and look disgusting. But traps do offer an effective means to an end; laced with beer they provide a soporific last supper to these slippery beasts. There are a huge variety of different types available, some are complete with baits, others designed just for beer, or milk. Look out for purpose-made traps, with lids to stop rain and beneficial insects from falling in. You can make your own but you do risk catching ground beetles and other friendly bugs that frequent the garden.
You can also collect up feeding slugs and snails at night by torchlight, or place lettuce leaves around the plot to attract them during their nightly antics and then gather them up. You’ll find many more slugs and snails after rainfall or on a damp evening than in the height of summer.
Natural Defences
By attracting wildlife into the garden such as hedgehogs, frogs, toads, slow worms and even snakes, you will find that the problem is less and less each season. Provide suitable habitats for creatures to shelter, feed, water and breed. A wildlife pond, a pile of rocks or a dry stonewall all provide vital hiding places and shelter for wildlife. If you are lucky enough to have a few hens too that you can allow to roam for a few weeks in spring they will make great inroads into the slug and slug egg problem on your patch. If not then let the wild birds feed. Turn over the soil to expose the shiny round slug eggs; they are a great delicacy for robins and other ground feeders. Remove weeds from around the plot that can shelter slugs and snails and keep a careful check on any plants in flowerpots, lift the pots regularly to harvest the army of mini slugs that shelter beneath.
Other Common Pests
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