spuds and slugs

[jim]

Got the main crop in, then had to put about half on the compost heap due to terrific slug damage! No problem with the earlies in may/june but damage to the main crop was really heavy, one or two so badly eaten through they'd started to rot and stink. I have always accepted some slug damage will occur but have never known so much in one crop. Anyone else suffered like this? Or, better still, anyone know how to stop it happening next year?

The main crop variety was maris piper. Looking forward to any advice,

Love and Peace
Jim

[jim]

Dear Susiegee,

Thanks for that, I'll try it next time. Revenge on the little !sreggub. And I agree the stench is nauseating, my stomach almost emptied and it's normally a fairly sturdy organ!

Love and Peace
Jim

[Plotter]

Hi, I have found treating the ground with nematodes to be effective, if not particularly cheap. You would need at least 2 applications for maincrop spuds.

This year, mostly down to disorganisation I never managed to get any ordered, so I used those organic slug pellets. Forgot to put them in the bottom though, just sprinkled over the row before earthing up. So far so good, some slug damage but not too bad.

[jim]

Dear Plotter,

Thanks for the advice. Without advertising, of course, would you let me know which outlets have the nematodes so I can be ready for next year?

Expanding the thread somewhat ....... the disaster of the maris pipers was annoying but not life threatening, later, when we've eaten the surviving spuds, we'll buy a sack or two to see us through. However, what is going to happen the other side of peak oil, when we are going to have to rely more on our own resources? When there is no chemical industry churning out slug pellets for us? Will the slugs survive while we starve? Pessimist or realist?

Any ideas anyone?

Love and Peace
Jim

[Plotter]

Nemasys is the company, they do a range of biological controls and are available via many outlets. They are sent out by post and have to be used fairly quickly and under the right conditions so best bet next year is to compare online prices.

As for the post peak oil scenario well we will have to see won't we. Human ingenuity being what it is I feel we will find some solutions, after all we survived on spuds before slug pellets...

[Millymollymandy]

What's a slug? Bet none of you have scab caused by dryness on your spuds though!

[fruitcake]

yep, we were badly slugged too. Cut a few pots in 1/2 and cut the slug still in there too - stuffing its greedy face - bandits. Between them and the rabbits
And yes, rotting tatties - fair gie you the boak

[Annpan]

And yes, rotting tatties - fair gie you the boak

Indeed... more than once I have cut through a slug while preparing totties

[pumpy]

maybe it's down to soil-type. We have a fairly dead chalky loam here, & have grown spuds for over 3 yrs without any slug problems.......perhaps the slugs prefer a slightly heavier/moist soil?........perhaps drainage is an issue?

[Plotter]

Was digging some more spuds today and actually found one little bugger with its head still stuck in the spud and most of its body sticking out. That's one slug that's not getting anymore of my taties.

[Millymollymandy]

maybe it's down to soil-type. We have a fairly dead chalky loam here, & have grown spuds for over 3 yrs without any slug problems.......perhaps the slugs prefer a slightly heavier/moist soil?........perhaps drainage is an issue?

Think it's down to moisture as my soil is sandy and neutral and always dry as dust on the surface (and most summers is dry as a bone as deep as we have ever dug in the uncultivated areas i.e. burying a cat or digging out tree stumps and roots) and we don't have any big slugs at all, only teeny ones in the outer leaves of lettuce. Not many snails either. Spuds do get the occasional nibble from chafer grubs.