Copper Slug and Snail Rings 10cm pack of 6

Product Information

Many home gardeners choose to minimise pesticide use and, as such, barriers and repellents to gastropod damage are often suggested in gardening publications and discussions. For some barriers such as copper and copper salts, a number of scientific studies have demonstrated their efficacy in the lab, but there have been fewer field realistic tests. Several barriers, such as egg shells and bark mulch have not been studied scientifically. Approach The experiment was carried out at the Field Research Facility at RHS Wisley. The plant used in the experiment was a gastropod favourite, lettuce, and the experimentassessed the effectiveness of the following gastropod barriers and repellents: After a few weeks exposure to weather, especiallly rain, slug rings take on a brown patina to blend comfortably into your garden. They are equally effective whether they are shiny and new, with a brown patina, or even ancient green. Slug Rings are guaranteed to last a lifetime. They can be used over and over again, season after season. They come in two sizes: small (approximately 4 inch/10cm diameter) for single stem plants and seedlings, and large (approximately 7 inch/17cm diameter) for plants like delphiniums, lettuces and lupins. They’re super easy to fit, and you can make larger rings for plants like hostas by joining two together. By testing a range of barriers in both pots and on the ground, this study contributedsignificantly to the literature surrounding gastropod control and enabled the RHS to update the advice it gives to home gardeners regarding which products and substances are effective. Benefits to gardeners

Press the slug ring into the soil around the plant. Make sure the rings are scrunched into the soil a little way with no gaps underneath for a slug to sneak through. Wet the soil first if it is too hard. But whatever the reason, most people agree that slugs don’t like touching copper. Home remedies for slugs from the experts These quality copper rings have a rolled top edge for easily handling, are easy to clip together to form a reliable barrier and will last for years slowly weathering to a dull finish, but remaining just as effective. 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.

We, and all other mammals, have iron in our blood [ haemoglobin ]. It enables us to have our own independent magnetic field, anchored on our blood. Slugs and snails do not have iron in their blood. Their blood contains haemocyanin , based on copper. This means that they do not have an independent magnetic field. As copper is conductive, they are highly sensitive to the Earth’s field. www.garden-products.co.uk When applying, ensure that the area is free from slugs and that no leaves are touching the surrounding soil

Other popular methods for getting rid of slugs include coffee grounds, and beer. For more information on these methods have a look at:The results of this experiment will be published in a scientific paper and articles will be written for The Garden and other gardening press. We will use our new knowledge to update the advice we provide to gardeners. Further information If you have scrap copper or old copper pipes in your shed, try bending it around the plants you wish to protect 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. I am not a chemist but guess it is due to some kind of ion exchange or electron donation. My guess is that something similar is taking place between the bright copper and the molluscs. Roofing metals are chosen for the job because their oxides adhere to their surface and are chemically inert under normal atmospheric condition. Knowledge of this fact is what lead me to triy the experiment in the first place.