[Belfast]

[robertsboyle]

Thanks Belfast - sounds like a mixture of organic pellets and nematodes might be the way to eliminate as much as possible will look into getting some.

[Daithic]

Couple of comments on the Beer trap method. I bought a few in the €2 shop (2 per pack), nice little ones with the lid on so keep an eye out for them in that shop if there's one close by you. I had also a few out of date cans of Bulmers and thought, what they heck, and it worked a treat. Lastly, recharge these things regularly, if you leave them more than two or three days with the beer in they attract a lot of blackfly.

[Sean Ph'lib]

[Liparis]

They just appeared. I usually don't see them until I go into the greenhouse at dark to catch slugs on the plants. There's two or three. When I go in with my head torch they vanish into the ferns growing under the staging.
Having said that, I recently read up on toads in Ireland and as you say, there are no common toads in Ireland, so perhaps my eyesight is deceiving me! They are either extremely large frogs due to good eating, or they are natterjacks, but I don't think so.
Perhaps, because I'm so used to in the past having toads in my greenhouse I just made the assumption they were toads.
I will try and get hold of one and check it out. I have no garden pond at the moment so that's not where they come from, but about 700 mtrs down the road is a very small lough, I assume they came from there.
Bill.

[Stello]

I recently read that slugs don't like sage, so I'm thinking of maybe trying to grow a "sage hedge", next year.. I really don't like using the pellets, and I could never do the beer trap thing as I'd rather drink the beer myself

[michael brenock]

I had heard of the copper wire or copper pipe as a deterrent for slugs so I tried them out. damage was worse where i put them. As they demolished my purple sprouting broccoli i went for the slug pellets and this morning I counted eight of the biggest slugs i ever saw. half to three quarters of an inch in diameter and 2-3 inches long. I was reluctant to use any pellets(draza) but this was the test.
michael brenock horticultural advisor(retired)

[robertsboyle]

ok so i have tried copper wire, useless, the beer trap great but must be overrun with slugs as there are still more (getting a good few wasps in there too serves them right), coffee granules not a great success, sprayed wd40 around the raised plot last night will see if that works, but not conviced. The wee buggers have eaten all my seedlings except the parsnips which are nearly ready for picking...

so.my question, if anyone can answer..where can i buy online the neomotodes and bird/cat/child friendly slug pellets? I am fed up and although this was only a test year for the patch, come next year i want to have the wee buggers eliminated from my patch!

[therickmoister]

I got nematodes online from Mr. Middleton and I think they have the slug pellets you want as well. The nematodes only kill young slugs which are underground is my understanding which is open to correction