Egg shells and nut shells........

[Elizabeth]

I have in the past tried using egg shells to keep off those slugs and snails, but they just keep disappearing - they get eaten!

Has anyone had any success with nut shells - you know the christmas nuts (I use them all year round as the nuts taste fresher!)

It would be the same principle - they don't like sliding over sharp objects.

[bodrighy]

they don't like sliding over sharp objects.

I don't think they reall mind if there's food on the other side. I've known them go over cinders, broken glass, smashed flower pots (plastic & pot) with impunity. You can see their trails the next morning. Make sure that any trails are cleaned off as they act as a motorway for other snails The only answer I have found remotely successful is to make sure that you have toads in the garden, Frogs don't seem to bother with them. Also attract as many birds as possible and hope for the best.

Pete

[Green Aura]

We had two inch deep gravel on the patio in our last garden. The little buggers went under it!

[Rosendula]

I thought all the slugs were in my greenhouse
Sorry I can't help, but keep putting the eggshells down anyway. They're alkaline and so help neutralise the soil

[bodrighy]

Aren't slugs just snails without a home, sort of escargot sans maison?.............. on second thoughts

[pumpy]

............ as the slug said to the snail, "Big Issue, sir?".

[Big Al]

............ as the slug said to the snail, "Big Issue, sir?".

Nice one.....

I once found a tiget slug in the compost bin. I cacked myself... It was about 9" long and as fat as two fingers. gawd (red) nose how long he / it had been in the compost bin but he didn't half scare me.

[pumpy]

Hi Al, i've counted anything upto 45 slugs on our compost heap,after a good downpour,some of 'em are massive, & if i stand quietly, i can hear them all munching away quite happily. (while they're on there, they aint on me veg patches!).

[theabsinthefairy]

I have not used egg shells as hens just tend to eat them, but I have used nuts shells from pistachios, and walnuts, and spread them liberally around the young brussels and calabrese plants and had a degree of success.

It seems as long as I build a little wall about 2-3 cm high around the base of the stalks about 10 cm in diameter and ensure that the shells don't get bogged down by rain or squashed by cavorting kittens or scrabbled around by chickens - they do work and keep the slugs off!

Now I write it down it seems quite labour intensive, but I distinctly remember last year feeling that it was worth it!

[becks77]

If you have any copper lying around they really don't like that,
failing that beer traps are supposed to work, but not sure about nut shells

[Elizabeth]

but I have used nuts shells from pistachios, and walnuts

Thanks theabsinthefairy

I'll start collecting nut shells - another pot on the windowsill!!