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Slug Damage
Slug damage can be recognised by the irregular holes with smooth
edges they make on leaves and nearby will be evidence of their
slime trials. They are particularly fond of succulent seedlings,
which when left unprotected, can be totally destroyed in a single
night.
As well as attacking the leafy parts of plants, slugs will also
feast on your fruit and vegetable crop. Slugs will chew holes in
your ripening strawberries and tomatoes. Potatoes are particularly
vulnerable, since they are attacked without the slugs having to
leave the safety of being underground.
If your seeds do not seem to have germinated, it is possible
that slugs have devoured the emerging seedlings underground.
Slugs love potatoes, which are of course grown underground, so
you cannot see them being attacked.
Nemaslug Slug Killer
Nemaslug controls all common species of
small to medium sized slugs (up to 8cm - 2.5-3 inches). Start your
control regime early and you will be able to target the young slugs
growing under the ground feeding on humus.
Nemaslug uses the nematode Phasmarhabditis
hermaphrodita, which was discovered by scientists at the
government research institute at Bristol, England.
One application of Nemaslug provides 300,000
nematodes for every square metre of soil, giving at least six weeks
control of slugs. This is generally enough time for seedlings and
bedding plants to get well established.
Nemaslug is easy to apply and does not
leave any unsightly residues. The majority of the slugs will die
underground, so don't expect to see dead slugs lying around.
Apply Nemaslug to moist soil. The soil
temperature should be 5ºC (40ºF) or over (this is when plants start
to grow). Nematodes are capable of surviving the odd frost; so
don't worry if the temperature falls after you have applied
Nemaslug. Metaldehyde based slug pellets are reported not to be
effective below 7ºC.
Potatoes are
susceptible to slug attack later in the season than most other
plants. So you can delay applying Nemaslug till 6-7 weeks
before harvest, when the tubers are most likely to be eaten by
slugs.
Unlike some controls, Nemaslug continues to
work well during wet weather - exactly when you need protection
against slugs!
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