will slugs/snails cross bark chippings to get to vegtables?

Question

if i put a 2 ft boarder of bark around a raised vegtable plot will slugs/snails cross this to reach there dinner!!!!!

Answer 1

NO! It's unpleasant to them!

Answer 2

Bark has a downside that in wet weather it can help the slugs travel to your plants. However in a dry season using a coarse bark made from large pieces is difficult for the slugs to move through because it becomes very dry. So it depends on where you water and when it rains.
While wet it will offer them great places to hide amongst the chips.
Crushed gravel The only gravel that works as a barrier is the crushed form because it has very sharp edges our favourite is horticultural grit 4 -8 mm.
Vermiculite, normally a compost addition, is an interesting product because as it swells up with water - and we all know slugs love water - but it actually moves, which the slugs seem to dislike. Or maybe it is sharp edged for them. We put it around the base of a plant in a ring. It's particularly good for plants that love water. The bad part is it moves. It can blow away if it dries out.

Answer 3

yes! they love bark chips. Try a shallow saucer of beer. slugs and snails are attracted to the beer, fall in and drown! Can also buy a box of diatamaceous earth, which are miniscule little skeletons of dead creatures that will kill the slugs. Sprinkle around the plants and when the slugs crawl across it the diamataceous earth scratchs them and they die.
woo hoo! You can also take a shaker of salt out with you while you're weeding and sprinkle the little suckers if you see any.

Answer 4

Hi, and yes they will,but they won't cross a strip of copper wire,tape or tubing! Copper,sets off an electrical charge,that snails or slugs won't cross.Give that a try.Bye P.S. salt is bad for plants,don't use it.

Answer 5

Yeah, 'fraid so.

There's two things that might work:
Cocoa shell (smells like chocolate, but they don't like it apparently) is supposed to work, and a copper barrier works great. The copper gives them a sensation like an electric shock, which is why it works. But you need to be careful that it does not get earth or anything else on it, as they will get over. I'm not sure if it will work after it goes green, either.

Answer 6

Yep, but it's a harder path. They have their slime to cushion their travel. They'd rather take a less obstructive path. Also the underside of the bark may stay damp enough to allow hiding places and maybe even hibernation locations.

Answer 7

slugs will cross anything but... salt. get some cheap store brand salt and sprinkle it around the outside of the garden. When it rains re do it again. If you keep the salt there, then they will not cross. Salt kills them.

hope this helps

Answer 8

One of the most natural methods is to use coarsely crushed egg shells. They won't cross the egg shells. I tried it this year and it worked great. None of my peppers were touched.

Good luck

Answer 9

they may try, but they are sharp enough to stop them dead, if you get my drift. if you really want to make sure, put sand at the outer edge of the bark as well. they won't even make it to the bark. good luck

Answer 10

crushed up egg shells around the area that you want to keep slug free will cut their underbelly and they will die. also try a saucer of beer. they will drink themselves to death!