Slugs.

[Pilatus]

Are slugs worse with direct drilling , than with ploughing (followed by conventional cultivations) and min till?
If so have any of you given up on direct drilling because slugs have been such a problem to your crops.?
I only ask out of general interest ,as unfortunately it seems that taking a step forward in one direction ,to help with global warming , leads to a problem in another direction by (in this case) needing to use more slug pellets.

 

[Bigjon44]

Slugs will be more of a prob after ploughing spesh on man's dirt

 

[Pilatus]

Slugs will be more of a prob after ploughing spesh on man's dirt

That surprises me, especially on “mans dirt”, compared to Cotswold brash which is so stony you can’t bury much, including slugs so might as well min till or if I were still farming direct drill.

 

[B'o'B]

As a long term DDer I would say slugs can be slightly worse some years, but generally similar most years. In bad years it can be much worse. On limestone soils snails can be an added problem.

 

[ajd132]

Basically if you grow rape you get slugs irrelevant of system.
Some years we don’t need pellets but this a lot of slugs have bred up, have heard from everyone not just no till people.

 

[Wombat]

Basically if you grow rape you get slugs irrelevant of system.
Some years we don’t need pellets but this a lot of slugs have bred up, have heard from everyone not just no till people.

Yes they seemed very prevalent in spring as well so we have taken precautions with a light application of pellets on the worse fields

 

[tr250]

I think our slugs are about the same as when we ploughed especially when like normal the seedbed is a bit cobbly but I think min till was better being a fine firm seedbed but direct drilled occasionally is an issue especially if it’s wet at drilling and slot closure isn’t what it should be and it’s to wet to roll. But in normal conditions I’d say it’s not a massive issue seem to get away with one dose post drilling same as when ploughed

 

[Fish]

I’ve stopped using pellets,
1- because since moving to no till slug problems have reduced, the one crop that can still spring the odd slug surprise is wheat after peas, for some reason slugs love pea straw.

2- the elephant in the room, birds eat the pellets, within 48 hours of spreading on this farm you will not find a single pellet as the crows, seagulls and other birds have eaten the lot, the only you will find is blue bird st1t.

 

[Brisel]

Are slugs worse with direct drilling , than with ploughing (followed by conventional cultivations) and min till?
If so have any of you given up on direct drilling because slugs have been such a problem to your crops.?
I only ask out of general interest ,as unfortunately it seems that taking a step forward in one direction ,to help with global warming , leads to a problem in another direction by (in this case) needing to use more slug pellets.

Yes. Steel is a very good tool for slug control. Growing brassicas in cover and catch crops provides great habitat for them.

 

[ajd132]

Yes. Steel is a very good tool for slug control. Growing brassicas in cover and catch crops provides great habitat for them.

Yes, I won’t use brassicas in any cover or catch crop.

 

[ollie989898]

You can get slugs in any system, OSR or not. The main issue with DD is the risk is greatly amplified if you try to do it in poor conditions. Where the seed isn't properly covered, of the slots aren't closed- they can become fast food trails for slugs.

Stubble rakes, glyphosate and the like all work well. Taking away the straw helps. Rolling helps. Good soil health and good amounts of tilth helps. I don't think any system is immune and I definitely wouldn't say ploughing and burying all the trash/stubble is a total solution either.

I think people who are pursing DD seriously ought to equip their rollers with paddle boards or a straw rake on the front and use it once the combine has been in and then again once the drill has been in.

 

[yellow belly]

slugs are a problem only when they have no alternative than the emerging crop

so ploughed desert or notill with green cover are just as bad

notill wheat after osr with upto a foot of regrowth has never had a a problem rape dies 2 weeks after emergance when the wheat is tillering, temperatures are lower and slug activity higher

the best slug antidote is early fast establishing crops and if the slugs have alternative easy food they

rooks pigieons and pheasants also predate on slugs in daytime and with notill the soil living wild life predate on slug eggs
opens slots in late drilled crops are similar to cobbly dry ploughed seedbed with higher risk

crops notill after beans are a higher risk if the seed is not firmed in properly

 

[Warnesworth]

slugs are a problem only when they have no alternative than the emerging crop

so ploughed desert or notill with green cover are just as bad

notill wheat after osr with upto a foot of regrowth has never had a a problem rape dies 2 weeks after emergance when the wheat is tillering, temperatures are lower and slug activity higher

the best slug antidote is early fast establishing crops and if the slugs have alternative easy food they

rooks pigieons and pheasants also predate on slugs in daytime and with notill the soil living wild life predate on slug eggs
opens slots in late drilled crops are similar to cobbly dry ploughed seedbed with higher risk

crops notill after beans are a higher risk if the seed is not firmed in properly

This^, exactly this.
Slugs are no-better or worse in any system compared to another. Like any living beast they have cycles, when the environment suits them and when it doesn't.

 

[Days of thunder]

We don’t drill until mid October now and seem to have very few slug problems that we used rot have.