On 29/05/2018 22:47, Derek wrote:
On 28 May 2018 17:46:32 GMT, David wrote:

Having been reminded that coffee grounds are a folk remedy for deterring
slugs,
Ignoring the above for the moment, has anyone tried this and does it work?

Check out the test done by James Wong, (him off the radio and TV)
Conclusion was it in fact it inhabits growth, the coffee plant does
not like compition, in the wild, so it stops other plants thiving
close by.

It modifies the pH a bit but I'd be surprised if it did much to slow
growth of most plants - unlike black walnut which through juglone really
does seriously affect competition by neighbouring plants.

Caffeine in coffee is intended by the plant as an insecticide - it so
happens that mammals find it an interesting stimulant. Cocaine and
nicotine are more potent examples with the same intent.

As for being a slug deterrent, check out you tube which has a vidio of
slug travelling down the edge of a razor bldae, it travels on a bed of
mucus, so notheing sharp is going to stop them, gravel, egg shells,
etc, waste of time. There is another web site that has been running an
experiment on various so called remedys, puts a slug in a ring of the
material and watch if it can cross, nothing stops them. (ash and bran
slows them down )

Also most slugs travel underneath the soil defeating a so called
barrier.

Some do. They don't get far in our summer baked clay soil though.


--
Regards,
Martin Brown