Slugs!

Glenjjones

I know there's already a few threads about slugs, but I have noticed that I seem to have a lot of small slugs in my garden this year. For the last 2 years I have been unable to grow any plants that are liked by slugs (Lupins, Dahlias, etc), and though I've not seen slugs actively eating them, I'm pretty convinced that they are to blame.

I've always previously seen large slugs in previous gardens I have had, and their presence has been pretty obvious, but I now seem to have loads of very small slugs, that hide away for most of the time. Are they a particular type of slug or are they just small young slugs?

I've tried Nemetodes and wildlife friendly pellets, but I cant seem to have any impact on the number of them. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on how I can reduce the slug numbers in my garden, or even just reduce the damage they do? 

B3

Sometimes it's best to give up in growing slug food like lupins or grow them in pots where you can protect them.
With dahlias, the slugs seem to lose interest when the plants are more mature. You can grow them in pots for a while and then plant them out or protect the new shoots in the ground with  upended jam jars for the small shoots or large plastic bottles for the biggies .

Valley Gardener

I've been using a dilute vinegar spray and also used coffee grounds.
This is over Hostas,it seems to work,but not tried it on any other plants,no doubt I'll find out soon when my Tagetes are coming up!

Lizzie27

Cagzo, how dilute is your vinegar spray please - are you just spraying the leaves?

Valley Gardener

One part vinegar,one part water. Put down a piece of flat board,all the slugs will gather under it,then spray the b++++rs!! Pretty yucky,but worth it not to have the birds poisoned. I found it on Google,where there are other uses for it too.Very interesting.

Lizzie27

Thanks Cagzo, I'll give it a go. 
Glen, I've also noticed only the little slugs so far, even found a couple curled up in the middle of some daff flowers! I wonder where the big ones are hiding..........

Glenjjones

Thanks, a few ideas to try. I don’t mind one or two of our slimy friends, but there seems to be loads more than usual for the last year or so.
has anyone had any success with nematodes?

DampGardenMan

Go out at night with a torch and a bucket and collect the little so-and-so's. Relocate or dispatch according to preference

Posy

Many of the little slugs are just babies growing up. They will soon  eat themselves bigger. I hoped that the cold winter would reduce numbers but at the moment I am collecting hundreds each night. Personally, I wouldn't bother with relocating - not if you want any flowers, anyway.

josusa47

A book I recommend to every gardener, it only costs about£2,. Is "The Little Book of Slugs" from the Centre for Alternative Technology.  It suggests loads of wildlife-friendly ways to repel, control and destroy slugs, and it's an entertaining read.  Put it on your birthday list.

Moobloon

About five years ago I took the decision to not use chemicals in my garden where I grow a mix of vegetables and flowers. 
A neighbour advised me to build a small pond and wait for the frogs. Three years ago a large amount of spawn appeared and we thoroughly enjoyed watching the tadpoles hatch and develop (and have done for the two years since).
The by-product of this small investment in money, time and effort is a garden with its slug population more under control than it ever was using chemicals. Recommended.