The wetter autumn weather is perfect for slugs & snails, and there are plenty of autumn veggies that they are fond of…particularly pak choi! Here are some ways to protect your new plug plants.
- Make sure your plot is as free of slug-friendly hiding places as possible: Remove any big stones, fallen branches, empty pots etc etc. Put watering cans and trugs away at the end of the day. Keep your plot as weed free as you can.
- Make slug traps: Sink some old cups/ramekins into the soil in between rows of plants and fill with cheap lager or sugary water. The slugs will hopefully be sidetracked by the traps before they get to your veg.
- Use hollowed out citrus shells: juice half an orange/grapefruit/lemon, then take the remaining shells to the veg patch and prop them up with a small stone. Slugs and snails will be able to use it as shelter. You can then do a regular removal.
- Use a barrier of something gritty – or woolly: For the particularly vulnerable plants, like lettuces, brassicas and corn, a barrier of something gritty around the base of the plants is a good technique. You can also try wool pellets (if you’ve receive any deliveries of frozen good with wool liners, the wool liners are good to use).
- Try copper tape around pots – we don’t find this hugely effective, but done in conjunction with a regular check for slugs/snails hiding underneath the pots tends to keep slug damage to a minimum.
- Do a dusk patrol: For those of you that really struggle with slugs, you may need to get your hands a bit dirty during a nightly dusk patrol. Grab a bucket, get your gloves on, don your head torch, and gather up slugs from raised beds etc. What you do with the slugs is up to you…relocating them is probably kindest!