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happymumma 
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 Topic: Easy pest control
Posted: 07 October 2010 at 8:44pm |
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Anyone got any great tips for pest control? I think I'm having issues with snails. I bought some derris dust but I'm not that keen on using chemicals if I don't have to. I've read up about creating various potions with chillis etc but would love to know about any really straightforward, lazy options!!
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Bizzy
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Posted: 07 October 2010 at 8:51pm |
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apparently crushed egg shells - or salt... the snails dont like that too much.
companion gardening can be helpful. i think it is marigolds that are good to plant among your lettuce but i dont think they stop slugs.
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peachy
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Posted: 07 October 2010 at 8:59pm |
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If you put a thick border around your vege patch of broken up sea shells (eg a couple of inches wide) that stops the slugs and snails as they cant get to the plants.
My Mum has done this and it works, jsut doesn't stop white butterfly though.
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happymumma
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Posted: 07 October 2010 at 9:05pm |
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I have just been reading about how snails and slugs like beer, lemonade or a combo of cabbage and soapy water too. Although the shells sound easier.
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kiwi2
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Posted: 07 October 2010 at 11:05pm |
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Open a bottle of beer. Drink 2/3s of the beer and leave enough so that when you lie it on its side it doesn't run out. Lie it on its side and the slugs go in and can't get out again.
Crushed shell or bark works well. Slugs like smooth surfaces so when it is rough they get annoyed and change direction.
I have a companion gardening book so what pests and I can tell you the plant.
Basil works for house flies. Have basil plants by open windows or doors.
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DzinerGirl
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Posted: 08 October 2010 at 10:32am |
Apparently crushed garlic cloves mixed with a little bit of dish-washing detergent deters aphids...would probably need to be an eco-friendly d/wash liquid though I think??
Ohh good tip about the egg-shells & beer bottle I'll have to remember to keep them for my soon-to-be garden 
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happymumma
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Posted: 08 October 2010 at 12:47pm |
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that is a good tip about the beer bottle. I was thinking I'd try it but hadn't thought of a suitable container so that solves that one! I'm assuming my issue is slugs and snails - I just never quite catch them at it!
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DzinerGirl
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Posted: 08 October 2010 at 2:36pm |
Ohhh I just read that pine needles are a good deterrent for snails & slugs due to the scratchiness..will have to remember that for Christmas time 
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kiwi2
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Posted: 08 October 2010 at 9:44pm |
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I like the beer bottle one myself the best as I can sit by my garden in the sun and drink the first part of it. lol. Just make sure that it is buried a bit so that the opening is flush with the ground. Still sideways.
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Rovic
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Posted: 09 October 2010 at 12:52pm |
I have read that you can use flour instead of derris dust, just use it in the same way. This will help with white butterflies laying eggs but not the slugs/snails so much.
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Rovic
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Posted: 10 October 2010 at 9:54am |
Neem oil is also a good non chemical spray. We use it for aphids and stupid beetle type bugs that plagued us last year. Can get it at the warehouse and garden centres.
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Nothing
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Posted: 10 October 2010 at 1:31pm |
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Go outside in the evening just afer dark with a torch and you will find the slugs and snails. Also look around your garden for any hiding spots. Look under bricks, bits of wood, long grass. I had the same problem and turned out they were all hiding in my clump of chives, i found over 30 snails!!
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shelleybean
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Posted: 31 October 2010 at 10:31pm |
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Some great ideas girls - thanks for that
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happymumma
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Posted: 01 November 2010 at 12:51pm |
Aethalia I can't handle the thought I pulling slugs and snails out by hand! I'm such a pathetic gardener!! I just cope with all the worms I dig up as I dog around in the soil.
I love the pine needle idea. I'm planning on having a real tree this year so will recycle it after Christmas.
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Nothing
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Posted: 01 November 2010 at 1:39pm |
LOL, you could wear gloves.... or make your DH do it..... Or bribe some local kids....
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happymumma
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Posted: 01 November 2010 at 3:23pm |
ugh...can't do gloves 'cause I would still technically be touching them (I'm pathetic I know!!!)...and no DH anymore so that's no good either (and actually he was too lazy to do things like that anyway  ). Ollie would probably love doing it though so I might give him the job of finding them all!
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Mucky_Tiger
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Posted: 02 November 2010 at 12:22pm |
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i dont mind picking snails off the plant.
the part i dont like is having to squish them, or feed them slug/snail bait so they die.
but if we dont kill them the little buggers will be right back there on the same plant that very night
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jazzy
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Posted: 02 November 2010 at 1:30pm |
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MIL told me to put cloves of garlic in the ground, Marigolds also are meant to be good to get rid of them. Spray plans with crushed garlice & water....have not had to try this yet. We have slug & snail pettets down.
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happymumma
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Posted: 10 November 2010 at 1:13pm |
I'm going to have to get serious about my slug / snail issue. They are eating my bean plants. I think I also just read somewhere that they are not keen on ash from the fire.
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myfullhouse
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Posted: 11 November 2010 at 10:05am |
 peachy wrote:
If you put a thick border around your vege patch of broken up sea shells (eg a couple of inches wide) that stops the slugs and snails as they cant get to the plants. |
I haven't had any snails since I did this. Apparently the shells cut them and cause them to die. If you don't have access to seashells them you might be able to use something else rough like scoria
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Easy pest control
