I often get emails from companies that we have bought things from in the past. Some are advertising quite good offers and others end up straight in the deleted items folder.
At the end of June I received an email from Marshalls that tweaked my interest. They were advertising a product called Grazers Slug and Snail Deterrent. The advert explained that this was a totally organic product that would control both slugs and snails. Not only would it control garden enemy number one, (in our eyes anyway), but being a calcium based product, it would also strengthen and stimulate plant growth and was safe to use alongside pets and children. It claims to be so safe that you are able to use it on edible plants.
I didn't expect a reply but their response was to send me a free bottle of the said product.
The spray doesn't harm the slugs and snails and so won't harm the birds or animals that feed on them. The idea of the product is to make the plants unpalatable to molluscs. I double checked with the manufacturer that the spray would be safe to use near our pond and they confirmed that any drift from the spray shouldn't be detrimental to the pond environment - it could be the answer to keeping 'ALL' the hostas around the pond in good condition. The manufacturers don't claim that the product will prevent all slug and snail damage. On their website they publish the following results of an independent test.
At present this product is only available as a ready mix spray which Marshalls are selling for £6.95 a bottle. The instructions suggest that it is used on a weekly basis which could make application very time consuming and expensive if you have lots of plants to treat. When I made this comment to the manufacturer they told me that they were working on a concentrated version that would work out to be less expensive and which could be applied using a garden sprayer
Interestingly the company also produce a product that makes plants unplatable to various animals and wood pigeons! Unpalatable to wood pigeons - ummm!
Over the next few weeks I'll be on a mission to try and decide whether the spray lives up to its publicity and will post some feedback at a later date so watch this space.
Interestingly the company also produce a product that makes plants unplatable to various animals and wood pigeons! Unpalatable to wood pigeons - ummm!
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It sounds like a great product if it works. The only downside, as you say, is the cost and time it will take to treat all the plants.
ReplyDeleteI think if it works I'll just be selective how I use it, Jo
DeleteIt sounds great...if it's effective but I do agree with you on the application...something on a larger scale does need to be developed. Wo are you going to try and review the pigeon product to?? I think it is great when reviews are done with the products as you can't always believe what it says on the bottle!!
ReplyDeleteNo I'll not be trying the pigeon one, Tanya. I wimp out of eating things I have sprayed. Maybe someone else will have a go at that one!
DeleteI don't use any commercial sprays at all. I've been lucky this year with little or no slug and snail damage. If a spray to keep Wood pigeons away was available I might consider buying it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should offer to review the pigeon one, Rooko. I'd love to know what the ingredient was that they didn't like the taste of
DeleteHmm - sounds good - only time will tell - not much slug action this year - yet!
ReplyDeleteNow it has turned dry the slugs will have gone into hiding Elaine but we have had quite a bit of damage earlier. Our problem tends to be more with snails.
DeleteI would love to know how this works out, as you say it sounds too good to be true!xxxx
ReplyDeleteI'll be feeding back, Snowbird but will hang on to some for when the conditions are damper just in case the dry conditions mean less slug activity anyway!
DeleteBe interesting to see how that does, though definitely not as big a problem this year so far. Touch wood.
ReplyDeleteIt will Annie although it's a bit dry to test properly at the moment
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