Anti Slug Barrier Mix – Crunchy Salty & Garlicky

[englishladyMember]

I’ve been collecting washed and empty egg shells, crushed down (in a pestil and mortar)  in a ziplock bag for a few weeks.  Amazing how many I have now.  I take out the thin skin membrane just under the shell as it is quite soft.

I’ve added two things to this bag after reading lots of information about slugs and snails online.

First, I added two lightly crushed garlic cloves (which apparently slugs and snails dislike). Hoping the garlic odour will permeate everything in the bag.

Second, I added a teaspoon of salt – just ordinary table salt.

Then I mixed the bag well shaking it up to mix all the ingredients.  I think the garlic will have to come out eventually, but I will replace it with finely chopped garlic before I use the mix in circles around plants.

If this mix goesn’t get them, I dont know what will!

Best wishes

Julie

[Richard BamburyParticipant]

Hi Julie
It’s me again.
Certainly slugs do not like salt but be aware that salt is the ultimate weed/plant killer and stays in the soil for a long time
Richard

[englishladyMember]

Hi Richard  —  Thank you for your reply.  I did not know that.  I thought just one teaspoon dispersed through about 3 dozen crushed egg shells would not be too harmful, but do you think it would have an effect even at such a small amount?

I was thinking about putting ‘collars’ around the individual plant stems and then placing the garlicky salty crunchy mix on top of those, is that likely to be better do you think ?

Or should I just leave out the salt?  Had no idea it was so lethal to plants.  But knew it was death to slugs.  I wonder if they like or loathe pepper ?

Determined not to let these vile slime balls get at my goodies…………

Thanks again

Julie

[LaurenceParticipant]

I’ve ordered some ecocharlie which works in the same way but don’t know whether to scatter all around or create a circle around the whole plot?
Ecocharlie also means you’ve got no chance the slugs will be attracted to the residue egg.

[englishladyMember]

That sounds good Laurence, I took out all the soft egg material, including the thin membrane, leaving only pure shells.

I have been sorting out books prior to moving, and found a great and one on ‘Companion Planting & Pest Control’ which also tells a great deal about how to deal with pests.  Thought this excerpt would be of interest:

“Leaving old cabbage leaves on the ground overnight, along with upturned citrus skins (like half an orange) dotted in amongst their favourite plants, will collect a satisfying number for slaughter.  A morning tour of the garden after a wet night can make the hand picking of snails most satisfactory.   Hand to hand combat is the most effective way of getting rid of them.”

Under mice it says “trap bait can be pea or bean seeds which mice are inordinately fond” Roll the seeds in paraffin wax before planting and they will leave them alone.”

And on slugs:
“Slugs have difficulty negotiating their way over crumbly compost or a covering of bark.  The loathe freshly limed ground or wood ash or the bitterness left behind on the soil by a watering with wormwood tea.”

Happy hunting

Julie

 

[englishladyMember]

Do slugs live underground ever?  Just wondering if you scatter the ecocharlie around the edge of the plot, will it get any slugs that surface from underground?  If they dont come from underground, then it sounds a good plan to me, but I am new to organic gardening, so you better wait for Charles to visit.

Best wishes

Julie

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