kwyer
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:49 am
Location: United Kingdom

Woodlice everywhere, Help!

I have inherited a garden that has been neglected for many years and is overrun with pests. I have a rather pressing problem at the moment. I planted some Echinacea, which I grew lovingly from seed. :cry: I am now seeing them slowly being eaten by something - I am assuming it is woodlice, as I only have to turn over the soils and the soil seems to move - it is so overpopulated with them! I have surrounded all my tender plants with sawdust which is keeping the slugs/snails at bay. Can somebody please help me. I think a few more nights and the leaves will be gone :cry: I would be very grateful for some advice please :)

User avatar
Jess
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1023
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:50 pm
Location: England

Hi kwyer :D

I doubt it is the woodlice doing the damage. They do eat a little green material but, as their name suggests, they are more interested in dead and decaying plant material such as rotting wood, dead leaves etc..
Sawdust will work up to a point with deterring slugs and snails but I bet they are the cause of the damage. Any chance of posting a picture of the eaten bits?
Another organic trick you could try to keep slugs and snails off is to cut the bottom off a plastic bottle and slip that over the top of the seedlings. It takes longer for them to get in and if they do it is easier to spot and squish them! There are also pottasium based slug pellets on the market now that are completely organic, good for your plants and they work!!!
No need to reapply after rain, they do the same as the nasty blue ones (attract the slugs/snails) who eat them get tummy ache and have the consideration to go and hide somewhere to die rather than leaving a slimy yuk all over your plants. :lol:

kwyer
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:49 am
Location: United Kingdom

Thank you for your advice. I have already got out some spare bottles I have saved and I will try this for tonight. My husband has suggested cutting zig zags into the top of the bottles to try and further prevent the slugs from gaining access to my pride and joys??...... :evil: I'll look into getting the organic slug pellets. keep your fingers crossed for me! May your garden be blooming and your pests be sparce :D !

User avatar
Jess
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1023
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:50 pm
Location: England

kwyer wrote:May your garden be blooming and your pests be sparce :D !
Haha! Yes please to that.
They are called Advanced Slug Killer and I got my chemicals mixed up. They contain iron phosphate not pottasium...oops!
https://www.thegardenersshop.co.uk/organic-slug-killer-pellets---750g-653-p.asp



Return to “What Doesn't Fit Elsewhere”