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Copper Slug Tape Multibuy 3 x 4m rolls

£3.155£6.31Clearance
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Copper DOES work as a slug and snail barrier if the percentage of copper alloy is high enough and the width is in excess of 4 cms. Don’t waste money on any of the other ‘gardening’ products tested above and be cautious of using anything else that comes in a similar sized box ( or from a matching production line…). Lettuces planted in the ground were found to be more susceptible to slugs, with 5.7% of each eaten on average. This compares to just 0.2% of those in pots, which, despite this advantage, yielded less crop. I have had a respectable amount of success in slug deterrence using copper mesh as a slug barrier on the outside of wood planters. The mesh is about 5″ wide, which is wider than any of the copper tapes I have seen for sale, and it’s easier to work with compared to the super delicate copper tape I tried, the tape I tried, and it’s easy enough to reuse (although not adhesive on it’s own) Other popular methods for getting rid of slugs include coffee grounds, and beer. For more information on these methods have a look at: If you want to protect your plot from slugs and snails, these trialled remedies just won't cut it. You may need to try something different. What can I do?

Regardless of exactly why it works, I would recommend copper mesh to anyone with a slug problem amenable to a physical barrier who isn’t too concerned about the aesthetics. These methods were tested on 108 lettuces sown in pots and raised beds at the RHS field research facility in Wisley. After six weeks, the leaves of each harvested lettuce were examined to calculate damage. The green patina developed on copper metal over time is a copper carbonate salt and could be toxic. But Dr Hayley Jones, entomologist at the RHS and lead researcher, said: “With the likes of eggshells, barks and mulch so far proving no discernible deterrent to slugs and snails, we would recommend using proven formulas like nematode biological control if the damage is just too much to bear.” I imagine barrier efficacy might depend on the width of the barrier and skinnier tapes might be less effective barriers than 5″ of mesh. I have yet to try using any other type of mesh (steel, aluminum) but if I get bored that might be a fun experiment. I also imagine in addition to whatever theoretical chemical/electrical property copper has that slugs don’t like, there is likely a mechanical component because irregular wire loops might be irritating to ooze across and there may be some variability in effect based on the size/configuration of the wire in the mesh.But wool pellets and pine bark did have one clear benefit: by acting as a fertiliser and mulch, they helped lettuces yield a 50% bigger crop. The most humane way to get rid of slugs? Hayley said: “Collect the slugs by hand - the best time to catch them is at night, and either release them at a local wood or pop them in your freezer before binning them

As existing lab studies have shown some of the barriers work, and as other experiments by Hayley hinted that copper tape could be effective, she’s not ruling the barriers out completely. She hopes to run the study again ona different slug population and different soil type at RHS Garden, Harlow Carr in 2019. The attention to detail in this study, and the use of the leaf area meter, lets us be more precise and confident in the results." What’s next for slug and snail research? I’ve tested solid copper rings which I made from some spare copper roofing strip. Did it work? Yes and No; the difference is oxidation.

What does it all mean?

While this research hasn’t shed any light on what you can do to obstruct slugs and snails, it has at least shown that these barriers can be unreliableand ineffective. After tending to the crop for weeks Hayley harvested the lettuces and removed the leaves one by one. She then rated the damage visually and useda leaf area meter for the first time,to record the damage in every square cm of the leaves. Jeff Gillman, one of the Garden Professors, commented “When I’ve tested copper the slugs seemed to have a slight preference for not crossing it, but would if that was what they need to do to get where they were going. I’d call it a mild repellant” . I think this is a good summary. Slugs will not go out of their way to cross copper in tape form, but it is not a fool proof solution. If you’re using any of these five home remedies to deter slugs and snails, consider carefully whether they are making enough difference to be worth the investment. Efficacy and environmental fate of copper sulphate applied to Australian rice fields for control of the aquatic snail Isidorella newcombi

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