Slugs on Compost Heap

[David ClarkeParticipant]

I expect a few slugs in a compost heap is not an issue but when you have 50-100 big ones (mans thumb and larger) do I need to be worried??? Breeding??? I know this year has been extraordinary for slugs but this is getting scary! Is there any way of controlling them on the heap without spoiling the contents? I guess sprinkling with salt will not be good for the resulting compost. Otherwise it will be me and my trusty knife wading around in decaying vegetation and stable sweepings acting like the grim reaper in a sea of carnage…

[charlesModerator]

 Thanks for asking this slippery question… on all our minds I think. Probably you do need to do a major cull now, but I wonder if a smaller and therefore faster filled, warmer heap would help. My heaps have been steadily warm, not massively hot, since April and I have noticed no more slugs in them than elsewhere. Maybe consider an enclosed heap like a plastic beehive, although they can become soggy unless enough ‘brown’ is added, such as chooped stems and woody bits, scrumpled or shredded paper etc.

A final, calmer thought: although as you say slugs are breeding now, and autumn will be tricky, if we have a cold snap as in December 2010 their numbers will be much reduced: so a lot of slugs now does not necessarily mean a lot next spring.

[David ClarkeParticipant]

thanks – culling is taking place. I might try splitting the bin in half and filling one side then the other to boost the temperature. Better hope for some hard frosts then!

[PoolfieldMember]

It is a disgusting job isbn’t it, Ive been murdering all afternoon!

[Author]

Posts