Or follow the trial I have going in the 'Anti Slug and Snail Experiment'
Mike
Iron phosphate (i.e. "Sluggo" brand) works great, and adds a shot of phosphorous, which your plants need anyway.
Does the wire stapled to the top of the rails do anything about the slugs nesting underneath?
Well if they don't want to go over, we hope that they won't want to go under either. BUT, early days of the experiment.
WATCH THIS SPACE.
If it works :-))
If it doesn't work? Well at least I have, as always, been honest :-))
Mike
Every year I ask where can I purchase an ounce of iron phosphate ? Sluggo and others consist of 1% iron phosphate and 99 % breads or a starch.
Active ingredient 1% for expensive box .
Bill who would dissolve iron phosphate in soda.
Interesting that you mention this. Just recently on a local TV gardening program I was watching a caller asked the same question of our 'organic guru'. He explained that the other '90%' inert ingredient served two purposes. 1. to facilitate proper and easy distribution. 2. to serve as an attractant. Apparently just spraying or flinging iron phosphate around won't do much, it rapidly dissipates, assimilates, can't remember the exact term used, into the soil and is quickly rendered ineffective. If you just pile it the slugs won't be drawn to it and eat it.
If you really want to do DIY Sluggo I'd look up a copy of the MSDS sheet, get the exact chemical name and google 'chemical suppliers'. I just did that and one of the first hits of 'affordable, free shipping' supplier's smallest amount available was $689.00. You may wish to search further. I can buy a whole lot of Sluggo for 600 bucks.
Val
Just drives me batty that a cheap chemical has such a premium. I've been to drug stores and chemical providers to no avail. I've helped create MSDS docs in the past dealing with Titanium Dioxide. You may be able to purchase a lot of sluggo for $600 but each year I'd guess $30 or more hence my quest as one ounce would be a lifetime supply.
I'll ask again next year ;))
Bill
That is what Bill was talking about Val. Buying the ferric phosphate (Fe+++ PO4---) to add to bread, or mushed banana, or whatever. If your going to buy the commercial product, Home Despot has a ferric phosphate bait for about half the price of Sluggo. The idea, though, was to cut out the middleman:-)
That expensive box usually lasts me 2 years.
Not sure, but iron phosphate _might_ be sold as a dietary supplement. Check around -- the cheapest brand might do the trick for you.
The heart asks pleasure first/The promise 4:52 Michael Nyman The Piano Soundtracks 1 4/10/08 6:57 PM
My other is getting a high tech knee replacement in two days and the jest of it is I will be busy. Mean while music is great to garden too and heal by.
Bill
Have you searched using ferric phosphate?
CHarlie
Bill, 'Mike' thrives on trying to disrupt a uk gardening group, because most there have his number and ignore him. Hence this cross-posting which he knows is bad for everyone concerned in all countries, as we all garden in different climates with entirely different pests. He's muddying the waters to get attention he can't get on uk groups. Whatever you can or can't buy in USA may not be available in UK. My post recommending the organic slug pellets was sent to a uk group but was turned into a crosspost by 'Mike' because he has been trying to irritate me for years. That's his saddo problem but I am sorry that he's turned it into yours, potentially. I have absolutely no idea if the slug killer I recommended is available outside UK so I apologise to those from other countries who may be misled by my post to UK but by Mike Crowe's design, not mine. (I come from Jersey too. The original island. ;-)) )
Jun-ichi Kamiyama
"Etoile Autumn Fantasy" "Etoile Winter Fantasy" "Etoile Spring Fantasy" "Etoile Summer Fantasy"
Charlie
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