I’ve just lost all of my birds-eye chillie seedlings due to a rogue snail which got into my propogator on shelves in the yard. Although I have religiously put down pellets in the garden area, I forgot to put them around the pots on the windowsills etc. So be warned - make sure you protect everything!
Since this drought has really taken a grip, the slugs and snails have disappeared. We have not seen any evidence for their activities for over a week. Even the birds don’t seem interested in the fruit as they ignored the cherries at the top of our tree which are beyond the reach of a ladder.
I’ve really struggled to raise most of my seedlings this year in the UK - record heat followed by a very damp period. I’ve tried the organic slug pellets which work OK around the hostas but not very well at all for the green bean seedlings. However the snails show no interest in the strawberries or tomatoes which is fortunate.
A friend recommended trying nematodes on the surrounding areas where slugs and snails live and breed, has anyone else used nematodes successfully?
They have made mincemeat of my strawberries this year. I have put pellets down as we don’t have any animals to worry about, but they do not seem to be working. I have heard coffee grounds and crushed eggshells are effective so I might try them. Wood ash or soot are also said to work.
On the subject of another nuisance, I was able to scare rabbits away by placing solar powered lights around the areas where they were digging holes. They have left them alone since I placed the lamps.
In the breaks between showers I am out scouting for snails and slugs. Found some doozies.
Also the old flashlight in the dark works well too. Hard to be eco against such determined
and omniprescent opponents. Maybe a beer for them and a wine for me is the answer. Thank God they don’t eat rosemary and lavendar (they do love basil though). If only we could find some predators for slugs. I’d hire an army of mercenaries but don’t know of any.
I’ll send Eddie round!!
I try to remember to go out just before bed with a torch and a jam jar. I collect any snails or slugs which are eating my seedlings or plants. Then I feed them to the chickens for breakfast!!