FAQ
Our horticultural engineers answer numerous technical questions from amateur gardeners all year round. Many questions come back time and again because their answers are important for work in the garden or on the patio. You can find the most important questions here.
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Are these pellets (Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+*) really wildlife and environmentally friendly?
Yes. The active ingredient iron phosphate also occurs in nature. Even if a bird, pet, hedgehog or earthworm feeds on a pellet they will not be harmed. This is one of the main reasons why iron phosphate pellets are approved for Organic gardening. Please note that all plant protection products such as these, have to include standard safety warnings on the packaging which relates to keeping out of the reach of children and pets. This is standard good practice.
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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Can I use Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* early in the season e.g. February / March?
Yes, the efficacy of the product doesn’t depend on the temperature so once slugs and snails are active in the spring and causing damage you should begin to spread Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+*.
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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Can I use Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* in slug and snail traps?
No, that isn’t the best way to use the product. Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* should be spread widely among plants and crops so that the slugs and snails can find the pellets while crawling around.
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* was not effective. I couldn´t see any dead slugs and snails or trails of slime!
The efficacy of Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* isn´t based on dehydration like metaldehyde pellets. When the slugs have eaten the pellets they burrow into the ground and die there out of sight. Therefore you will not find any trails of slime or dead snails.
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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Do I have to reapply Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* immediately after rain?
No this isn´t necessary. The pellets swell up when they get wet but don´t disintegrate and then in dry weather they return to their original shape. In fact, wet and moist Sluggo®+* pellets are even more attractive to slugs!
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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Can I use Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* to protect edible crops such as lettuce and strawberries?
Yes, just ensure it is applied early enough and spread evenly among the plants. There is no waiting time before harvesting crops.
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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Can I reapply Sluggo® Slug and Snail Killer+* just before picking lettuce?
Yes, it may be applied at any point in the growing cycle and you do not need to wait before harvesting lettuce.
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Are there any plants which slugs and snails don´t like?
Yes, here are some examples of plants that slugs do not like: verbena, ferns, lady's mantle, goldenrod, periwinkle, lavender, snapdragon, pink phlox, yarrow, geranium, thyme and lamb´s ear.
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No, this will not provide full protection as when a slug or snail has eaten through this circle of pellets the ‘door is open’ for other slugs. Therefore you have to spread Sluggo®+* evenly across all areas requiring protection.
*Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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What can I do to prevent slugs and snails?
Water only in the mornings and surround particularly vulnerable beds with a slug and snail barrier. Frequently break up the soil so that the slug's hiding places are destroyed. Encourage hedgehogs and other beneficial creatures with piles of brush wood which act as a mini habitat for them.
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I have recently applied the product but can no longer see any pellets – what has happened?
The slugs and snails have eaten them and have disappeared to die! You should reapply the product.
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What happens to any pellets that are not eaten?
After several weeks, depending on weather conditions, they will degrade into the ground. The good news is that as they contain iron (III) phosphate they will also provide the soil with nutrients as they break down.
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