Slug pellets/Monty Don

[MINESAPINT]

Couple of weeks ago I was truly amazed to see Monty Don using slug pellets on Gardeners World. Unconvincingly I thought tried to warrant their use because they had a label on the box with some magic word or other on it. ERRRRR let me think what it was ERRRR OH yes ORGANIC.

Spose it will be OK for me to start throwing Digitalis and Saxotoxin around now is it?

If a hedgehog/child/dog/cat etc found and consumed a pile of these ORGANIC slug pellets I suppose they would suffer no Ill effects?

MINESAPINT

[Sky]

You just reminded me ... I so miss Gardeners World.

[Martin]

If you've got broadband, try iplayer in the BBC site!

[marshlander]

It's ok, minesapint, they're advanced slug killer from the organic gardening catalogue
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/p ... ts_id=1821

Quote "The slug pellets we've all been waiting for. Safe for children and pets, birds, hedgehogs and other wildlife - killing only slugs and snails.
After remaining effective for several weeks in both wet and dry conditions, the pellets based on ferrous phosphate will break down to iron and phosphate nutrients as part of garden soil."

[Green Rosie]

If you've got broadband, try iplayer in the BBC site!

It doesn't work abroad

[MINESAPINT]

Marshlander,

Thanks for that. I take my implied criticism back. I think it could have been made clearer on the programme that they are safe. So the next logical step now a safe product is available is to BAN all the others.

MINESAPINT

[Mrs Moustoir]

Having taken out a mortgage to buy a pack of the ferrous phosphate slug pellets, I can say that they do work.

Was a bit surprised that they break down so quickly though - and they go all fluffy with a sort of mould on them as they decompose. Perhaps that is part of the way they deter the slugs and snails...has anyone else found this?

[MINESAPINT]

Although I hate killing stuff I also appreciate I need to eat and if the worst pests were not controlled then there would be absolutely no point planting anything. However I will always be concerned that such products are not so species specific as is claimed. For the time being I will stick to slug control by scissors & hope a toad or two will be along shortly.

I have tried beer traps & found them full of dead ground beetles next morning!

MINESAPINT

[multiveg]

Although I hate killing stuff I also appreciate I need to eat and if the worst pests were not controlled then there would be absolutely no point planting anything. However I will always be concerned that such products are not so species specific as is claimed. For the time being I will stick to slug control by scissors & hope a toad or two will be along shortly.

I have tried beer traps & found them full of dead ground beetles next morning!

MINESAPINT

You need to raise the traps up a bit so they aren't level with the ground. I read somewhere that slugs/snails will climb something first thing in their day...

[Mal]

Yeah, that fluffy thing is odd, not to say slightly offputting.

I was out yesterday evening with the secateurs on my first evening's slug hunt, not as many as I expected - maybe the nematodes and those pellets are doing their work.

Then again, my only comparison is last year where our long grass and washout summer must have been the thing of slug dreams!

[Millymollymandy]

Marshlander,

Thanks for that. I take my implied criticism back. I think it could have been made clearer on the programme that they are safe. So the next logical step now a safe product is available is to BAN all the others.

MINESAPINT

He did! He said it would not harm birds, hedgehogs etc. He was very clear on the subject, enough so it made us think about getting some.

[Millymollymandy]

And I should add that like you, I do not every use these so called 'organic' (just because they are plant based) insecticides which kill indiscrimately.

I'd rather use a chemical seletive insecticide any day.

[Mrs Moustoir]

We use Lidl lager in our yoghurt pot slug traps. I wondered why there weren't many victims in the pots (Lidl not good enough for these French slugs?). Then I saw a thrush dipping into the pots and eating the contents

No ill effects evident!

[MKG]

No immediate effects, at least. Lidl lager is enough to kill anything eventually. How do they store the stuff?

[Mrs Moustoir]

We just buy it for the slugs, you understand - only 13c a tin!