Slugs / Snails Help!!!

harmony

Hi, just transplanted my calendula babies yesterday and seen this morning some have been nibbled  I don't want to lose them so was wondering what you guy's do. I have put dried eggshells around the plants this morning I don't want to use slug pellets because of dog/wildlife. Thanks..

mwtbones

Ferric/iron phosphate pellets have very low toxicity to mammals, birds or non-molluscs in general. When scattered thinly as directed the chances of a dog, child or anything else managing to eat enough to get even mildly sick is near zero.

Nollie

Or there are lots of non-pellet solutions to slugs and snails, like a thick ring of sharp gravel around the plants (although, as I have recently discovered, you must be vigilant and make sure plant debris is cleared up or they use it as a bridge to get to your babies anyway). Copper rings around used to work for me but can’t get them anymore, or copper tape around the pot, if in a pot. @aureliecelerier recently recommended cloches over young plants until they are big enough to fend for themselves.

Fairygirl

A nigth 'search' and removing them by hand and dispatching is also a non chemical approach, but if you have a lot of them, it can be a very wearing task.
Letting plants grow to a decent size before planting out also helps. When they have a strong root system, they can fend off attacks a little more easily. 
To be honest, I don't bother with eggshells  - our exterior walls are rendered with it and I often see slugs  crawling 7 or  8 feet up them! 

allymountain13

Slug battle so far: had so many slugs. They even lived in my kitchen. Applied Nemaslug late September and 1st April. Didn't see a single slug until yesterday following a week of persistent rain. So applied more Nemaslug (the packet says to reapply every 6 wks April to Sept)  I have also  used a ring of horticultural grit around my young hostas which are hole free 😀I use Sluggo pellets for the snails every 10-14 days. They are organic and safe. Amazon are cheapest for these. Planted out some Zinnia this week. The slugs I found yesterday were munching on them. Also, the only Hosta the snails touched was a white one with very tender, sun-damaged leaves. So I'm now thinking about decoy plants as they clearly take the path of least resistance so I know where to find them!. Copper slug tape is also cheap on Amazon. I've stuck these around my pots. Will let you know if it works. So far, I'm sold on the nemaslug. This is the ONLY treatment I have used on the strip of soil against the outside wall of my kitchen. No slugs at all this year so it must work.

Stevedaylilly

Use slug gel and a few pellets as that has totally protected my Hosta's and Lobelia plants this year  

AuntyRach

I have tried everything, apart from the blue pellets and nematodes. I now grow either slug-resistant plants or start them off in pots until they are robust enough to go it alone, or just nestle the pots in the borders behind geraniums etc.  The slugs love Zinnia, Cosmos, cornflowers, and pretty much anything you have lovingly nurtured from seed.