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How to dispose of soil with slug pellets?

nattywildenattywilde Posts: 8
in Fruit & veg
 I’m new to gardening and, after my salad tray was obliterated by slugs, I (stupidly) took advice to use slug pellets, without understanding what they do. 

I now need to dispose of the soil as it’s full of lettuce drop mould, but I’m unsure of how/ where to do so without harming the birds. I kept my beds at the bottom of the garden where the birds don’t go, but need to dispose of the soil at the top where they do. 

Can i just bin the top layer with the pellets and tip out the rest on the garden, or will the poison have soaked into the soil?

Thank you. 

Posts

  • CeresCeres Posts: 1,896
    So many questions......How much soil are you talking about here? Is it just one seed tray or a huge amount? What sort of slug pellets did you use?
    Also, I'm sure the birds must inhabit all areas of your garden so they will access poisons wherever you put them.
    Speaking as a paranoid person when it comes to things like slug pellets, I'd bury it all six feet under but more sensible souls might have a better suggestion.


  • nattywildenattywilde Posts: 8
    Ceres said:
    So many questions......How much soil are you talking about here? Is it just one seed tray or a huge amount? What sort of slug pellets did you use?
    Also, I'm sure the birds must inhabit all areas of your garden so they will access poisons wherever you put them.
    Speaking as a paranoid person when it comes to things like slug pellets, I'd bury it all six feet under but more sensible souls might have a better suggestion.


    It’s quite a bit... 3 big planter’s worth. 

    The garden has several different levels. The lower level is next to the house and we’ve never seen a bird in that part for the three years we’ve been here. In fact, I had to tempt them for a long time to come anywhere near. Loads of cats in our area, so that’s probably why. But I’m feeling super guilty and would never have used slug pellets had I known how awful they were. My boyfriend’s Dad just handed me some, without a box. I thought they just made it difficult for slugs to crawl over, or had a funny smell or something. Lesson learned, never again! 

    I thought about burying it but we’re not able in our garden. It’s now bagged up ready for the garden waste tip, with the pellet heavy top parts in a permanently sealed bin. Hopefully that’s okay! 
  • hogweedhogweed Central ScotlandPosts: 3,991
    You do realise I hope that you only needed a few slug pellets scattered around your plants?? And by a few I mean about a dozen little blue pellets tops in a big planter. By the sound of it you seem to have been rather liberal and covered the soil with them. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • CeresCeres Posts: 1,896
    This might be of help in future. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=228
    Slugs and snails are difficult to deal with and it is sometimes best to just grit your teeth and put up with the creatures. You can keep them off some plants using things like large soft drinks bottles but that wouldn't work with lettuces if you are growing them closely together for cut-and-come-again salad leaves. I don't like using slug pellets and have tried the sheeps wool and copper bands and beer traps. None of them are entirely successful. In times past when I grew a large patch of onions, I would go into the garden after dark and listen to the slugs and snails eating the leaves. They can make quite a racket.


  • nattywildenattywilde Posts: 8
    Ceres said:
    This might be of help in future. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=228
    Slugs and snails are difficult to deal with and it is sometimes best to just grit your teeth and put up with the creatures. You can keep them off some plants using things like large soft drinks bottles but that wouldn't work with lettuces if you are growing them closely together for cut-and-come-again salad leaves. I don't like using slug pellets and have tried the sheeps wool and copper bands and beer traps. None of them are entirely successful. In times past when I grew a large patch of onions, I would go into the garden after dark and listen to the slugs and snails eating the leaves. They can make quite a racket.


    Luckily, I wasn’t too liberal with them, but like I said, I was given them without a box or instructions and didn’t realise they were poison :( I’d never kill any animal, for whatever reason... knowingly! 

    Thank you so much for the tips! 
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