Janet Baraclough wrote:
The question for urglers is; where does the UK's Big Rapacious Snail
zone start and finish? With global warming, are they advancing
northwards?

I had bazillions of gray, walnut-sized snails last year but managed to
get them under control through various means. This year they have
largely been replaced by slugs of every variety -- huge to tiny, black
to yellowish, long to round. I think I preferred the snails since they
had built-in handles....

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:29:14 +0100, Rob Barrett
wrote:

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The question for urglers is; where does the UK's Big Rapacious Snail
zone start and finish? With global warming, are they advancing
northwards?

I had bazillions of gray, walnut-sized snails last year but managed to
get them under control through various means.

What means? I am plagued with the big walnut sized ones.

This year they have
largely been replaced by slugs of every variety -- huge to tiny, black
to yellowish, long to round. I think I preferred the snails since they
had built-in handles....

I also have all those varieties of slug as well. :-(
--
Paul C

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:29:14 +0100, Rob Barrett
wrote:
I had bazillions of gray, walnut-sized snails last year but managed to
get them under control through various means.

What means? I am plagued with the big walnut sized ones.

I used iron phosphate bait around vegetables (the second round -- the
first was largely consumed, many before even showing themselves) and
then went hand picking every night with a flashlight. I had to replace
the bait several times because it was all getting consumed in just a
couple of nights. It gave me odd pleasure to see a snail chowing down
on a pellet.

With the hand picking I was gathering maybe fifty to a hundred on an
average evening. Totally sickeningly gross.

I also started clearing out the various piles of junk (and some plants
with dense foliage) that gave them daytime hiding places.

Things are much better this year -- knock on compost.

I used iron phosphate bait around vegetables (the second round -- the
first was largely consumed, many before even showing themselves) and
then went hand picking every night with a flashlight. I had to replace
the bait several times because it was all getting consumed in just a
couple of nights. It gave me odd pleasure to see a snail chowing down
on a pellet.

With the hand picking I was gathering maybe fifty to a hundred on an
average evening. Totally sickeningly gross.

I also started clearing out the various piles of junk (and some plants
with dense foliage) that gave them daytime hiding places.

Things are much better this year -- knock on compost.

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the crawl off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On Fri, 2 Jun 2006 08:07:52 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:




I used iron phosphate bait around vegetables (the second round -- the
first was largely consumed, many before even showing themselves) and
then went hand picking every night with a flashlight. I had to replace
the bait several times because it was all getting consumed in just a
couple of nights. It gave me odd pleasure to see a snail chowing down
on a pellet.

With the hand picking I was gathering maybe fifty to a hundred on an
average evening. Totally sickeningly gross.

I also started clearing out the various piles of junk (and some plants
with dense foliage) that gave them daytime hiding places.

Things are much better this year -- knock on compost.

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the crawl off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)

I've never heard of it outside a chem.lab. Does it work on slugs also?
I presume so. Is it commonly available, e.g. in garden centres? I
imagine it's fairly weather-proof, as it's not soluble in water, IIRC.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Jun 2006 08:07:52 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the crawl
off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)

I've never heard of it outside a chem.lab. Does it work on slugs also?
I presume so. Is it commonly available, e.g. in garden centres? I
imagine it's fairly weather-proof, as it's not soluble in water, IIRC.


--
Chris

Trade name is "Femerol" it has just received its full licence, it is indeed
very long lasting with two applications per year being recommended.
The effect is instant and irreversible and death occurs in 3-6 days later
from starvation.
Both the pellets and slugs/snails that eat them are harmless to mammals,
birds and invertebrates other than molluscs. It can apparently be used with
organic growing set-ups if prior approvals are obtained.
Its so effective they recommend that you only spot treat as blanket treating
will result in a drop in food supply for anything which eats slugs and
snails.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Jun 2006 08:07:52 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:




I used iron phosphate bait around vegetables (the second round -- the
first was largely consumed, many before even showing themselves) and
then went hand picking every night with a flashlight. I had to replace
the bait several times because it was all getting consumed in just a
couple of nights. It gave me odd pleasure to see a snail chowing down
on a pellet.

With the hand picking I was gathering maybe fifty to a hundred on an
average evening. Totally sickeningly gross.

I also started clearing out the various piles of junk (and some plants
with dense foliage) that gave them daytime hiding places.

Things are much better this year -- knock on compost.

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the crawl
off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)

I've never heard of it outside a chem.lab. Does it work on slugs also?
I presume so. Is it commonly available, e.g. in garden centres? I
imagine it's fairly weather-proof, as it's not soluble in water, IIRC.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

I know Iron Pyrophosphate is used in the medicinal world as an iron tonic.
Not actually certain what form of iron phosphate is being used in slug bait
but it does appear to be very good. It is for sale in the USA but I have not
seen anything for sale over here yet.

On Sat, 3 Jun 2006 08:00:35 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:


"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 2 Jun 2006 08:07:52 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the crawl
off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)

I've never heard of it outside a chem.lab. Does it work on slugs also?
I presume so. Is it commonly available, e.g. in garden centres? I
imagine it's fairly weather-proof, as it's not soluble in water, IIRC.


--
Chris

Trade name is "Femerol" it has just received its full licence, it is indeed
very long lasting with two applications per year being recommended.
The effect is instant and irreversible and death occurs in 3-6 days later
from starvation.
Both the pellets and slugs/snails that eat them are harmless to mammals,
birds and invertebrates other than molluscs. It can apparently be used with
organic growing set-ups if prior approvals are obtained.
Its so effective they recommend that you only spot treat as blanket treating
will result in a drop in food supply for anything which eats slugs and
snails.

Thanks Charlie, I'll look out for it, although I just Googled UK for
"Femerol" and all I get is medical references to do with the femur
i.e. thigh bone! LOL.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 3 Jun 2006 08:00:35 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:


"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 2 Jun 2006 08:07:52 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the
crawl
off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)

I've never heard of it outside a chem.lab. Does it work on slugs also?
I presume so. Is it commonly available, e.g. in garden centres? I
imagine it's fairly weather-proof, as it's not soluble in water, IIRC.


--
Chris

Trade name is "Femerol" it has just received its full licence, it is
indeed
very long lasting with two applications per year being recommended.
The effect is instant and irreversible and death occurs in 3-6 days later
from starvation.
Both the pellets and slugs/snails that eat them are harmless to mammals,
birds and invertebrates other than molluscs. It can apparently be used
with
organic growing set-ups if prior approvals are obtained.
Its so effective they recommend that you only spot treat as blanket
treating
will result in a drop in food supply for anything which eats slugs and
snails.

Thanks Charlie, I'll look out for it, although I just Googled UK for
"Femerol" and all I get is medical references to do with the femur
i.e. thigh bone! LOL.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

That's because you trusted a dyslexic to spell it correctly!! it should be
Ferramol the marketing company is Certis and it is 12.5Kg packs (but my info
is trade so no doubt will come in smaller packs for gardeners)

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On Sat, 3 Jun 2006 12:31:21 +0100, Charlie Pridham wrote
(in article ):

snip

Iron phosphate is very good and I am going to switch over to it. It
apparently works by stopping them eating, its not a poison and the
crawl
off
and die of starvation some days later, so no corpses :~)
snip

That's because you trusted a dyslexic to spell it correctly!! it should be
Ferramol the marketing company is Certis and it is 12.5Kg packs (but my info
is trade so no doubt will come in smaller packs for gardeners)



Charlie, Ray says there's a compost on the market with built in slug killing
properties but he can't remember the name of it - unless he dreamt it, of
course! Can you?

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site