It almost seems like one of the stereotypical greenie knit your own yoghurt pots moments but you can now get slug pellets made out of wool. Recycled wool no less. Strange but true. Made by Kindtoo there perhaps somewhat miss titled Slug Buggers expands when wet into a wough wooly carpet with small needle-like fibres slugs wont cross. I guess its the same sort of theory that persuades countless gardeners to mount barriers of egg and nut shells, pine needles and other rough surfaces around their plants. I haven’t seen any positive or negative comments about the product as its only just out but if anyone buggers their slugs this year please let us know! Kindtoo managing director Eric Graham says they’re “easy to use and extremely effective at deterring slugs” so lets put him to the test. A 3.5 litre bucket costs £9.95. To order telephone 0845 8623888. www.kindtoo.com.
Actually I’ve hardly seen a slug this year. Its very dry so they’re all hiding away from the veg patch which I’ve kept totally weed free. Slugs love to hide when its hot and dry and will make the most of any clumps of weeds you’ve neglected to pull out. First rule of slug control is to keep your beds free of weeds and keep hoeing regularly to disturb any eggs and break up the slug trails they use to go back to their targets. However if we get any rains at all they’ll make the most of it and will be out looking for something young and tender. Traditionally many barriers fail when they get wet. Some will wash away. Some are easier to cross when wet. So if the expanding slug buggers work when wet it could make a lot of sense to use them just when you think they’re might be a damp patch coming up. You’ll have to go out in the evening or at night with a torch to see how effective they are. Slugs love coming out in moist conditions at the end of the day.
Allan Shepherd 