Household Hints

[Mari]

Household Hints


I was wondering if we could start a thread about passing on household , or even gardening tips.

Like, how do you get rid of slugs etc...

[Will]

Wonderful idea Mari.

I'm hopeless at this kind of thing, but I do have one idea I'm always an advocate of.

That is to set aside a section of your garden which you leave completely wild and untamed. If you want to go even further, have a little pond in the middle of it. This will attract a lot of unusual wild-life to your garden, and you'll be doing your bit for conservation at the same time.

[Shizara]

Slugs help recycle in the garden so you don't want to be rid of them altogether but probably simply need a means of control, especially one that doesn't involve adding more chemicals to your garden and produce.

It would also depend on how keen you are on gardening and how much time you have to do things. The following suggestions are methods I used myself before coming to the UK as I absolutely dislike, with a passion, weedsprays etc etc.

Have you any beer in the house? It doesn't have to be chilled. You will need some containers and this might be an opportunity to put some empty cans to good use. Dig some holes put a can inside each hole - a couple of feet apart - then put beer into the cans. Overnight it is party time. Slugs like beer and so will come out, drink, get drunk, fall in, all over. Next morning you can remove and bury them then top up the beer.

If you prefer not to do this then prevention is probably for you. Crushed eggshells - if you have enough - even sand around the perimeter of your plants but it must be kept dry to be effective.

If you have a supply of plastic bottles you can cut the bottoms and tops off and put them around your plants.

At the end of the day every creature has a purpose and unless I am being invaded I never minded sharing a little with creatures in the garden. If you have the room to do it Will's suggestion is brilliant. In essence, give them an area of their own to play in.

[Mari]

Originally Posted by Will

Wonderful idea Mari.

I'm hopeless at this kind of thing, but I do have one idea I'm always an advocate of.

That is to set aside a section of your garden which you leave completely wild and untamed. If you want to go even further, have a little pond in the middle of it. This will attract a lot of unusual wild-life to your garden, and you'll be doing your bit for conservation at the same time.

I agree Will, I like to keep a section of the garden wild, let the grass grow long, allow the wild flowers (some folks call them weeds) to grow.
But right now, I am not too keen on the budlea that is growning out of the chimney
Actually to have budlea in the garden attracts bees and butterflies. they love it.
We had a pond in our previous garden, and had fish, frogs, oh, and a little hedgehog who lived the shed.

.

[Mari]

Originally Posted by Shizara

Slugs help recycle in the garden so you don't want to be rid of them altogether but probably simply need a means of control, especially one that doesn't involve adding more chemicals to your garden and produce.

It would also depend on how keen you are on gardening and how much time you have to do things. The following suggestions are methods I used myself before coming to the UK as I absolutely dislike, with a passion, weedsprays etc etc.

Have you any beer in the house? It doesn't have to be chilled. You will need some containers and this might be an opportunity to put some empty cans to good use. Dig some holes put a can inside each hole - a couple of feet apart - then put beer into the cans. Overnight it is party time. Slugs like beer and so will come out, drink, get drunk, fall in, all over. Next morning you can remove and bury them then top up the beer.

If you prefer not to do this then prevention is probably for you. Crushed eggshells - if you have enough - even sand around the perimeter of your plants but it must be kept dry to be effective.

If you have a supply of plastic bottles you can cut the bottoms and tops off and put them around your plants.

At the end of the day every creature has a purpose and unless I am being invaded I never minded sharing a little with creatures in the garden. If you have the room to do it Will's suggestion is brilliant. In essence, give them an area of their own to play in.

Shizara,
I love your idea on controlling slugs by giving them beer, way to go !
I will definitely put that idea to the test.
Actually I usually have guinness in the house, which I deem to be too good for slugs.

My main worry is when they get into the kitchen , I just caught one red handed this morning slithering up the kitchen sink plug hole when I was washing up. So what did I do, I put salt on the little blighter , and got rid of it. Sorry but I can't stand them.Yeeeww !

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