Slug pellets mixed with wheat seed

[snipe]

What are people’s thoughts/experience of mixing slug pellets with seed when it’s been planted. Do they attract slugs to the seed seam, do they stay active longer as they are not open to the elementals as much?

 

[Shutesy]

What are people’s thoughts/experience of mixing slug pellets with seed when it’s been planted. Do they attract slugs to the seed seam, do they stay active longer as they are not open to the elementals as much?

In my experience they just attract the slugs to the seed, even if the slug eats the pellet first it might chow down a few wheat seeds before it dies. I would think they will last just as long on the top given how wet the soil is currently so I would stick them on the top as normal.

 

[Clive]

bad idea imo - pellets contain attractants and break down fast in wet soil

no need for slug pellets at all when temps are low or wind is blowing but when you do they are best applied fresh on top IMO

 

[Brisel]

Avoid unless you have dual hoppers. I’m with Clive - apply the sluggies on the surface after sowing if you’re worried.

 

[Fish]

It's a fallacy that slug ps contain an attractant, putting them with the seed might help as one of the problems you might find at this time of year is that any pellets on the surface maybe be eaten by birds.

I've seen it happen 3 times this season, 5kg/ha ironmax/sluggs behind the drill, 3 days later not a pellet to be found, all eaten by crows, pigeons ect.

 

[Cowcorn]

What are people’s thoughts/experience of mixing slug pellets with seed when it’s been planted. Do they attract slugs to the seed seam, do they stay active longer as they are not open to the elementals as much?

Doctors differ Snipe, but in my experience if you expect slug trouble its a good precaution to mix the pellets with the seed, 30 years ago when renting rough grassland for winter wheat the bit where the pellets were not used was as plain as the eye in your head the rest of the field was fine .
Also as fish pointed out the are out of harms way whens buried with the seed . I dont think slugs are very mobile you either have them or not so forget the attraction theory the slugs wont be flying in from the neighbours fields attracted by the whiff of free meals !!!

 

[Clive]

If you anticipate a problem baiting before drilling is a good idea

 

[i dont belief it]

I know I'm thick but if its to cold or to windy will the slimy pests not stay underground and eat the seed?

 

[Bogweevil]

Slugs don't home in on food, they make short range random searches and eat what they find. The more baiting points the more likely you are to intercept the reconnoitring molluscs so broadcast ought to be best.

Haven't seen any research on how many birds take though.

Interesting that we insisted there was no evidence that birds took blue metaldehyde pellets nor suffered from eating poisoned slugs but it seems birds do take the ferric phosphate ones. Lack of bittering agent?

Some sluggy gems in this report: https://nuffieldinternational.org/live/Report/UK/2018/jenna-ross

 

[Laggard]

Worked really well here this autumn with wheat following OSR using ferric phosphate pellets. No Pre or post drilling application of pellets applied. Land not drilled covered in slugs so very pleased with the results. Pellets are protected from the active being washed directly out of the pellet by rain and the birds can’t find them to eat on the surface, win, win.