I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and snails due to the high humidity levels of a coastal town. I'm intending to grow my own fruit and veg and would like very much to see them survive. I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work? I was also considering slug traps (yes there are that many that i'm considering a two pronged attack!) Any thoughts would be appreciated.

some one told me that sharp sand and gravel will do the trick but it has to be the right kind of sand , not the play pit type

"may" wrote in message
...

Koscha;778681 Wrote:
I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and
snails due to the high humidity levels of a coastal town. I'm intending
to grow my own fruit and veg and would like very much to see them
survive. I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work? I
was also considering slug traps (yes there are that many that i'm
considering a two pronged attack!) Any thoughts would be appreciated.
some one told me that sharp sand and gravel will do the trick but it
has to be the right kind of sand , not the play pit type




--
may

I am far from convinced about gravel deterring slugs. My own experience of
coarse gravel spread over an ugly concrete surface here on the north-east
coast is that even when the surface looks totally dessicated, if you turn
over the gravel there is moisture underneath with no shortage of little grey
slugs, although a fair number of them fry if you rake the gravel on a sunny
day.

Duncan

On 17 Mar, 17:40, may wrote:
Koscha;778681 Wrote: I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and
snails due to the high humidity levels of a coastal town. I'm intending
to grow my own fruit and veg and would like very much to see them
survive. I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work? I
was also considering slug traps (yes there are that many that i'm
considering a two pronged attack!) Any thoughts would be appreciated.

some one told me that sharp sand and gravel will do the trick but it
has to be the right kind of sand , not the play pit type

--
may

No it doesn't. I tried for years to protect Hostas this way.

Jonathan

Duncan says...

"may" wrote in message
...

Koscha;778681 Wrote:
I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and
snails due to the high humidity levels of a coastal town. I'm intending
to grow my own fruit and veg and would like very much to see them
survive. I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work? I
was also considering slug traps (yes there are that many that i'm
considering a two pronged attack!) Any thoughts would be appreciated.
some one told me that sharp sand and gravel will do the trick but it
has to be the right kind of sand , not the play pit type




--
may

I am far from convinced about gravel deterring slugs. My own experience of
coarse gravel spread over an ugly concrete surface here on the north-east
coast is that even when the surface looks totally dessicated, if you turn
over the gravel there is moisture underneath with no shortage of little grey
slugs, although a fair number of them fry if you rake the gravel on a sunny
day.

Duncan




We've got a drive and large patio area covered with sharp
granite gravel chips. While I've not noticed any slugs or
snails on the gravel they seem to find their way to seed
trays or other pots left there. So I'd say it is
ineffective. Perhaps slugs just dislike gravel rather than
totally avoid it, so it may have some, but very limited
value.
--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted.

oh right , maybe those hostas at the garden centre in their garden just didnt have many slugs around. they did look nice

Slugs and snails are the bane of every gardener and since I created my garden from a derelict site I reckon I've had more than my fair share of these 'orrible molluscs! Following my success with over 60 hole-free hostas I also reckon I may speak with some authority!

In my experience gravel from 50mm down to 6mm has little effect other than to slow them down. But don't count on it! Best results for me come from eliminating the first generation early in the year through convenient location of the most slug prone plants and regular patrols.

I tried to load a (dimns Ok) picture showing my hostas at waist high without a mark on them without success. But this picture and more details are readily available from my web site. Simply enter 'slugs and snails' in the search window on the opening page and then click on the 'Slugs and snails in the garden' entry page that results.

On Mar 18, 1:47 pm, Winsford
wrote:
Koscha;778681 Wrote:

I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and
snails......I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work?

Slugs and snails are the bane of every gardener and since I created my
garden from a derelict site I reckon I've had more than my fair share
of these 'orrible molluscs! Following my success with over 60 hole-free
hostas I also reckon I may speak with some authority!

In my experience gravel from 50mm down to 6mm has little effect other
than to slow them down. But don't count on it! Best results for me come
from eliminating the first generation early in the year through
convenient location of the most slug prone plants and regular patrols.

I tried to load a (dimns Ok) picture showing my hostas at waist high
without a mark on them without success. But this picture and more
details are readily available from my web site. Simply enter 'slugs and
snails' in the search window on the opening page and then click on the
'Slugs and snails in the garden' entry page that results.

--
Winsford

This sounds right. Nightly patrols with a torch get the big slugs and
big snails.
If I am really angry and desperate, I spread aluminium sulphate around
vulnerable plants which is considered an organic treatment by some.
There is a limit to how big an area I can patrol (or want to). If
plants grow fast enough, they often just outgrow molluscs and then I
ignore them. Also, many folks have a fetish about absolutely having
to kill every slug they find. That is pointless apart from being a
mechanism for venting anger. I just throw them 10 yards down the
garden to where I do not care what they do.

Des

On 18/3/08 15:59, in article ,
"Stephen Wolstenholme" wrote:

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:47:08 -0700 (PDT), Jonathan
wrote:

On 17 Mar, 17:40, may wrote:
Koscha;778681 Wrote: I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major
problem with slugs and
snails due to the high humidity levels of a coastal town. I'm intending
to grow my own fruit and veg and would like very much to see them
survive. I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work? I
was also considering slug traps (yes there are that many that i'm
considering a two pronged attack!) Any thoughts would be appreciated.

some one told me that sharp sand and gravel will do the trick but it
has to be the right kind of sand , not the play pit type

--
may

No it doesn't. I tried for years to protect Hostas this way.


My mother has Hostas surrounded by shell gravel. That seems to be an
effective barrier. I think the choice of gravel is important. The
stuff that seems to work is that made from crushed shell, usually used
in aquariums. The price is prohibitive for extensive garden use!

Steve

It does have to be sharp pointy stuff, not that lovely smart pea gravel!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:47:37 +0000, Winsford Winsford.25589b6@
gardenbanter.co.uk wrote:


Koscha;778681 Wrote:
I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and
snails......I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work?

Slugs and snails are the bane of every gardener and since I created my
garden from a derelict site I reckon I've had more than my fair share
of these 'orrible molluscs! Following my success with over 60 hole-free
hostas I also reckon I may speak with some authority!

In my experience gravel from 50mm down to 6mm has little effect other
than to slow them down. But don't count on it! Best results for me come
from eliminating the first generation early in the year through
convenient location of the most slug prone plants and regular patrols.

I tried to load a (dimns Ok) picture showing my hostas at waist high
without a mark on them without success. But this picture and more
details are readily available from my web site. Simply enter 'slugs and
snails' in the search window on the opening page and then click on the
'Slugs and snails in the garden' entry page that results.

Give us a link to your website please!

Pam in Bristol

"Winsford" wrote in message
...

Koscha;778681 Wrote:
I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire which has a major problem with slugs and
snails......I was considering a gravel covering to stop the little
blighters from eating themselves stupid! But does this really work?

Slugs and snails are the bane of every gardener and since I created my
garden from a derelict site I reckon I've had more than my fair share
of these 'orrible molluscs! Following my success with over 60 hole-free
hostas I also reckon I may speak with some authority!

In my experience gravel from 50mm down to 6mm has little effect other
than to slow them down. But don't count on it! Best results for me come
from eliminating the first generation early in the year through
convenient location of the most slug prone plants and regular patrols.

I tried to load a (dimns Ok) picture showing my hostas at waist high
without a mark on them without success. But this picture and more
details are readily available from my web site. Simply enter 'slugs and
snails' in the search window on the opening page and then click on the
'Slugs and snails in the garden' entry page that results.
Winsford

URL please :~)
Jenny