Slug and snail control

[Wood Chuck]

Have tried many methods of slug and snail control, without using pellets and have read about making a spray using dead slugs, that releases nematodes to destroy slugs and snails.

Am wondering if others have used this method with any success.

[fyzygy]

Have you tried this? https://www.protect-us.com.au/products/natural-mineral-snail-slug-killer

 

[Wood Chuck]

Thankyou very much, have ordered some and it sounds like it will do the job.

[ZooL]

Have once seen pots with 2 copper strips running around them with the positive and negative terminals of a 9v battery each connecting to a strip, when a slug or snail tries to cross it it completes the circuit and they get a zap(doesn't kill em, just makes em turn around), they would only work for pots but a similar fence/exclusion zone should be able to be set using some wood and wire for things in the ground.

Would wanna do some safety testing to make sure no arcs or sparks come from the set up but i think with only a 9v battery or similar low power input that should be easy to avoid.

[fyzygy]

^ I thought the copper tape works without electrical current? The problem being it comes loose, gets tarnished, etc. and copper isn't cheap. (Neither are 9v batteries). 

Beer and Vegemite is said to be a low-toxic bait to trap/drown snails. 

Personally, I don't kill snails but relocate them to the nature strip - knowing full well they'll probably find their way back. We have hundreds of snails, many of them congregate around a potted cactus without even nibbling it. Once, deep inside an overgrown cluster of TBM, I found a whole community of snails, of all sizes. And not so much as a nibble on that plant. Beautiful creatures. I've learned to live with them, but not to put a punnet of seedlings anywhere within their reach. 

[ZooL]

Not sure if just copper tape is some kind of irritant for them but this pot was definitely using a current, but yea may need maintenance from time to time, to avoiding having to replace batteries and buying copper tape you could prob use just stripped wire and some low voltage power source connected to mains like one for little lights or pump switches but that's getting into electrics that you really should know what your doing with as has real safety and fire risks if you make mistakes.

Another one i have heard but also not tried is a bed of broken egg shells around the base of plants, apparently snails and slugs wont cross them for some reason. Would need to be replenished from time to time but if you have chickens and guinea fowl you will have excess of them.

I don't really do anything to keep little pests away unless it gets to some infestation level, i've found with enough bio diversity, some stuff just left for the critters and keeping things i really care about neat and raised a bit is enough. If i really want one plant of something i just make sure i have multiple and do something to fully protect one if i see real damage being done, not too fussed if something has a bit of a nibble.

Except seedlings and some food plants, i protects them pretty well and also make sure big things like roos,rabbits,sheep,birds etc cant get to them as some things and seedling can be wiped out moments by grazers.

[fyzygy]

2 hours ago, ZooL said:

a bed of broken egg shells around the base of plants, apparently snails and slugs wont cross them

Not true, in my experience. And probably unsuitable for calciphobes. 

 

[ZooL]

yea, when i heard that i wasn't quite sure how it was supposed to work? sharp edges? something innate to eggs that makes slimy thing avoid them?

The person who told me seemed so confident on it but as i say i never tried that one myself.

[Wood Chuck]

Have though my garden Rosemary and Lavender bushes, that I have because apparently slugs and snails do not like the smell of these bushes. It may be a deterant, but they have not buggered off.