Slug trauma

[ATOB2]

The amount of damage slugs and snails did to my garden this year is testing my organic gardening regime to the limit. Do you have any suggestions for effective natural controls?

[Molly B]

Slugs do not like rough surfaces, so surrounding you vunerable plants with a thick 12" wide band of clinker is almost guaranteed to keep them at bay. If you do not have a solid fuel boiler yourself, find someone who has: they will be only too delighted to give you as much clinker as you need!

[rekstout]

Try crushed eggshells, I seem to recall they deter slugs and snails although do not know whether it is the texture the don't like or a chemical response. Beer-filled traps is another answer if you want to kill them, bury a container (e.g. jam jar) nearly to the top in the sopil and place a little beer inside - it attracts the blighters and drowns them. Also try bark-chips as an alternative to clinker - available from any garden centre.

[carolhg]

Beer traps are the best remedy.