Slugs and snails

Elizabeth96

Any suggestions for dealing with slugs and snails? I’ve been inundated this year, they have  eaten all my dahlias even those that managed to get to over a foot tall and some tomatoes but luckily I’ve had a big harvest and then yesterday I was emptying a hanging basket that was on the tree about half a metre down and found that there were six slugs which had eaten one of the corms completely! I’ve tried Strulch, chippings on the pots and checking them often and still they come. Every time I lift a pot , I find one, help please!

Nanny Beach

Probably tried everything along with everyone else unfortunately, now hubby goes out at dusk with a bucket of salt water,but guess what some of the big ones were still alive in the morning!

Dovefromabove

Most years a few slug pubs are sufficient … this year it’s involved a torch and secateurs 😡 

Fairygirl

I just accept that we have thousands of them - all the time. I avoid growing plants which are particularly vulnerable. apart from those that I like enough 
If I find an 'excess' when I'm doing anything - they get squished underfoot. I used to try all the usual methods, but they really don't make much difference. 
I don't have the inclination to go out later at night  - I'm usually asleep by about 9 pm 

Dovefromabove

So am I @Fairygirl 🛌. 7pm is when the slugs know to beware…

Fairygirl

  

zzjunk

Two solutions:

1- Dig a pond and put in a few water plants. Within a short time frogs will appear and make it their home. This has helped the war on snails/slugs tremendously.

2 - Water early in the morning. Always early before the sun starts to beat down. Snails/slugs are somewhat nocturnal and like the cool of night, so let them get attracted to your neighbours damp gardens if like mine they do their watering in the evening.

Elizabeth96

Thank you everyone ! We do usually water in the evening so that won’t have helped,

Fairygirl

Not really a solution as such though, because not everywhere has the sun beating down during the day.
They're out all day long here most days. On hotter, drier days, they often just stay under certain plants that offer shade - and eat those  

philippasmith2

Depends also which slugs you have most of.  The worst ones for me are the little grey jobs which live in the compost and can be difficult to spot.

Fairygirl

I'd agree - those little blighters do more damage than many of the big ones