Anti Slug and Snail Experiment
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Subject Author Date
Anti Slug and Snail Experiment 'Mike' 05-10-2008
Posted by 'Mike' on May 10, 2008, 8:42 am
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 Following postings about slugs and snails and copper wire etc., I am
performing some experiments which gardeners, (that does not include me, I am
a non gardener, 'her outdoors' is the gardener) might like to follow.

Pictures at http://www.myalbum.com/Album-NSVC6IM7

One of the pictures shows a slug which is reluctant in going over the copper
wire.

Other pictures are self explanatory .

The three pots of beans (Phaseolus L.) are now under the tender care of 'her outdoors' in
her greenhouse. Once the plants show above the compost, they will be placed
in a 'vulnerable' position outdoors where the slugs and snails seem to
frequent.

Watch this space.

Be delighted to answer any questions.

The Cathodic/Electrolytic Action experiment with two dissimilar metals round
a pot may follow later.

Mike
--






Posted by 'Mike' on May 10, 2008, 10:17 am
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>
>
>>One of the pictures shows a slug which is reluctant in going over the
>>copper
>>wire.
>
> Um - yes but - the slugs are supposed to be /outside/ the perimeter
> fence...
>
>
> Geo

Yes. That is one we found inside, so it was lifted up and placed alongside
the copper cable. It wasn't happy ;-(

The cable on that bed only went on a couple of days ago so we can only
assume it was already in the bed.

Follow this thread :-))

Watch this space :-))

Mike



Posted by Val on May 10, 2008, 3:55 pm
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> Following postings about slugs and snails and copper wire etc., I am
> performing some experiments which gardeners, (that does not include me, I
> am a non gardener, 'her outdoors' is the gardener) might like to follow.
>
> The Cathodic/Electrolytic Action experiment with two dissimilar metals
> round a pot may follow later.
>
> Mike

Many years ago (about 30+) I read about copper deflecting the onslaught of
slugs. It so happened soon after reading this tidbit of information I
spotted a box of copper tape on the counter of my company 'store' while I
was getting spare fuses for my truck. I asked the fellow what it was for. He
had no idea nor who ordered it. We paved roads. He said if I wanted it I
could have it. Whoopie! Two dozen lovely 100ft rolls of 2 inch wide copper
'tape'.

I ran a single strip of tape this all around the outside of my wooden raised
vegetable beds and flower planter boxes. I live in the Pacific NW,
USA.......we have SLUGS! I did this in early spring, just before I planted.
The first few weeks I picked slugs out of the beds and boxes but I assume
these were already there or hatched from existing eggs. I never saw trails
or evidence of slugs crossing the tape. By mid summer my raised beds and
boxes were slug free. THEN......as the corrosion started covering the tape
(heavy green-bluish stuff) the slugs began to creep over the most heavily
corroded areas. Apparently this insulates the electrifying effect. Problem
easily solved organically. I cleaned the copper bottoms of some of my
cooking pans with tomato juice. I poured tomato juice into a small bucket,
rubbed down the tape using a rag dipped in the juice, hosed off the residue
and once again the tape was shiny and repelling slugs. This continued to
work the 15 years I lived there.

One hint about attaching your copper. I used roofing nails and soon saw that
electrolysis occurred from the metals reacting to each other. It wouldn't be
long before it corroded through and the tape would fall off. I pulled the
nails, predrilled holes about every 3-4 feet or so, applied a dab of
silicone caulk and inserted a nylon staple type peg. The 'peg' was from a
piece of crap Buttoneer Tool I was given, never used the useless gadget. My
young son had been using the tool for a "ray gun", had to dig that out of
his toy box. Never throw anything away, never know when you might need it
;)

Val




Posted by 'Mike' on May 10, 2008, 4:07 pm
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>
> ;)
>
> Val
>
>

Sounds good Val

Many thanks

Mike



Posted by 'Mike' on May 11, 2008, 4:19 am
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> >
>> I'm going to try copper wire around unglazed pots. We have voracious
>> slugs, some are over 7" long and hunt a couple hours after dark. Beer
>> traps didn't work so well, snail/slug bait is much better. Some years
>> are much worse than others, I think it depends on the past winter
>> temperatures and duration. I've heard the slugs dislike hair, sharp
>> sand, gravel or diatomaceous earth. But, I've seen pictures of
>> slugs/snails crossing a razor or knife without getting cut, I guess
>> due to slime protection. The west coast has some huge slugs that
>> invade many gardens. Some pick them off early in the morning.
>
>
http://zootal.no-ip.info/stuff/2007/2007AugustBeckyAndSluggy/images/DSCF0082.JPG
>
> That is my daughter - she will sit for an hour watching these things crawl
> on her hands....
>

Would you like me to send our slugs and snails for her to play with? ;-)

Whereabouts are you?

Mike



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