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Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Thursday, 8th March 2012
As spring approaches so does my attempt to grow lupins. I have for two years in a row failed to get them off the ground. They germinate, grow and then CHOMP. Even the dahlias nearby isn't enough to stop them. What to do to do this successfully? Grow them in pots until they are too big to be eaten?
I have a large established lupin but the slugs still love the new growth. I am a regular patroller with a torch, but you may have to go down the chemicals route or give up.
Swedboy
It is the soft new growth they are after-so pots or use pellets-wildlife friendly ones are available if you are against the little blue ones.
Pellets work for me
I treat my slugs to blue wildlife friendly pellets but they still manage to die with my lupins inside them! I might try to grow one in a pot until it is too big to be nibbled to death and then plant it out in the border.
Have you tried the crushed eggshells idea?
Yes but I just scattered all over the place and that didn't do much to help. Might have used too little. I tend to have some grinded up eggshells about as I add it to my wormery to lower the acidity.
Try the pots, then. If you can get them to a good size the leaves will have become tougher and less attractive to slugs.
Excellent. am I right in assuming they are perennial and if they are, would a mature plant out grow an hungry slug army? Or are they evergreen?
They're fairly short-lived perennials, and die down to the ground soon after flowering, not reappearing until next spring.
Do they survive the slugs year two or do they need protection?
Mine is 4 years old and still needs protection.
I don't know if you've tried it, but I've read that sand works too... I'd mix sand and eggshells and scatter them in a thick ring around the plants
Dunno if there's a danger to the plants here, but is there anything wrong with mixing some salt with the sand?
My gran used to make traps- sink a yoghurt pot in the ground and put beer in it- the slugs like the beer, but fall in and drown! Dunno if anyone has any experience in this or whether it's an old wive's tale but it always seemed to work for her!!
No, don't put salt around your plants - it won't do them any good.
The beer traps are absolutely fine, but give them a slightly raised cover so that beneficial beetles don't drown.
Swedboy
So you are clear-protection in a pot will be fine for this year and the plant dies down over winter
Next year the cycle starts again in the ground so back to the slug problem again-I never really see it as something major- just another pest to deal with
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