Grazers Update

An interesting article from Farming News this week

New thinking needed in order to prevent crops being attacked by slugs

Slugs are on the increase and they are getting more determined. The first real sign of the scale of the problem was seen during the warm wet weather of 2012, which triggered an invasion of slugs not previously seen in the UK.
The John Innes Centre (JIC) warns new thinking is needed if we are to protect valuable food crops from future attacks and this is the subject of the January Pollinator.

Young Spanish slugs on leeks (image courtesy of John Innes Centre)

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Dr Jonathan Clarke, Business Development Manager at JIC, explains: “The former HGCA estimated that the UK loses £100m pa through slug damage to arable crops; for oil seed rape around 59% of the total area is affected by slugs.

“Many of the chemicals traditionally used to control slugs and flea beetles are being withdrawn from use because overuse may cause environmental damage. For example, one common molluscide Methaldehyde contaminates 81 of the country’s 647 reservoirs. Without these pesticides, however, the problem is going to get worse; we have already seen an increase in flea beetles this year, which had been virtually eradicated.”

The slugs are also getting more deadly. In 2012 East Anglia experienced infestations that were truly extraordinary, with large slugs being seen in their hundreds in many gardens!

One of these gardens belonged to Dr Ian Bedford, Head of Entomology the JIC on the Norwich Research Park. He found masses of brown, black, fawn or mustard coloured slugs up to 15cms long every morning on his lawn and suspected something odd was going on. Although these slugs looked like a native Arionid species, such as Arion ater (The Black slug) and A. rufus (The Red slug, which also display a wide range of colour forms), they certainly weren’t behaving like them.

Dr Bedford says: “Native Arionids are usually found in small numbers within damp environments where they mainly feed on decaying vegetation, whereas the invading slugs were active during daylight. They were also being seen on dry paths and were eating plants and vegetables that native slugs normally avoided. Onions, beans, turnips, cabbages and even garlic leaves were being consumed along with a vast number of seasonal ornamental plants. The invading slugs were also observed eating dead animals, dog faeces and bird food.”

He sent the slugs to Dr Les Noble, a malacologist at Aberdeen University, who identified the slugs as Arion vulgaris, The Spanish slug.

This was the first time that the Spanish slug had been officially recorded in the UK, and signalled the appearance of a serious new problem for growers and gardeners alike. The Spanish slug can protect itself from pesticides and predators by oozing a thick slime.

Dr Clarke says that the JIC has created a colony of native and invasive Spanish slugs and these are complemented by an assay platform that can be used to test the effectiveness of new molluscicides.

“The race is on to find target specific chemicals to improve defence against these pests,” says Dr Clarke. “We have been working with a number of companies to develop new control agents, one of which is an existing compound currently in agricultural use.

“We are also developing new non-chemical control strategies that will target specific slug species and flea beetles. These aim to provide selective control, protecting crops with minimal environmental impact.”

 

'Dunking' Christmas trees against rabbit and deer damage

 Any new plant is at risk from damage from rabbits and deer. For a commercial grower planting 1000's of trees the damage can be devastating.

GRAZERS G1 has been used on forestry planting and tree nurseries successfully since its first discovery in 1999.
Given my background in commercial tree production I wanted to see GRAZERS work on the huge range of plant material being grown in the UK.

                   

      GRAZERS G1 trial (1999) used on Douglas fir seedlings in a nursery bed . Plants in the background were treated while those in the   foreground were left untreated. Damage seen here occurred overnight





Over time as we talk to growers we learn how GRAZERS use is being adapted to fit within busy production schedules.
Recently Adrian from Plantation Lodge spoke to us about how they use a strong solution of Grazers (4x the recommended rate ) mixed with 20 litre water in a bucket and literally dunking the bundles of seedlings (like those in the image below)

 

 

 

Once the tops have dried they can then be planted out (see image below) It makes life so much easier, with no sprayer involved and its safe so there is no risk to the 'dunker'. It means GRAZERS is on the plant before it goes into the field with minimum hassle.

Which? report just out on G3

"Grazers G3 Formula

 CLAIMS A safe but effective

formula which treats against potential

damage from cabbage white butterflies,

caterpillars and aphids. lt also stimulates

and strengthens growth, with no

detrimental impact on the environment.

OUR VERDICT To try

out this product I planted

two red cabbage and

two black kale plants,

and sprayed one of

each with the formula

five times between

early May and July. There was no sign

of caterpillars on any plant, but the

unsprayed red cabbage had slug

damage, while the sprayed plant was

completely clear, had grown bigger and

looked very healthy. Both kale plants

had whitefly by July, but the sprayed

plant had fewer than the unsprayed

one and was also slightly larger. We'd

like to put this formula through more

rigorous testing to be sure how effective

it is over a whole season, especially if

there's heavy rain or overhead watering,

as the instructions suggest you need to

respray afterwards".

GRAZERS complete ready to use range
available at many garden centres including Wyevale or online
rrp @£6.99

 

Sheep !!

Eileen Clayton got in touch with us earlier in the summer, she  organises the gardens on the Ffestiniog Railway and on the Welsh Highland Railway. 

 

"I work as a volunteer Bedgelert Station on the Welsh Highland Railway. On two of our stations we intermittent have problems with sheep.  It will make so much difference to the appearance of the stations if we could at least have a few troughs of flowers".

 

 

We sent her some product to try and last week we received this reply from Eileen.

 

"You kindly sent us some of your Grazers G1  solution which we have tried for a couple of months this summer.  It seems to have worked well as long as we re-sprayed after heavy rain.  We have had no significant grazing problems.  We will certainly use it again next year and hope the same results will be repeated".

 

Note: Eileen used a stronger than normal mixture to get the message across quickly. Grazers is a very safe solution and it is OK to apply at much stronger rates than is on the label. whilst this isn't normally necessary it can be a useful tool to get the message across quickly and then reduce the rates once you see an effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little helpful advice now spring is here!

Remember it is safe to spray Grazers G1 - rabbits, pigeon etc  and G2 - slug & snail onto hostas and other plants, edible or ornamental,as the new growth emerges in the garden  which is also when they are very prone to damage.

Hostas and other perennials send up succulent spikes in spring (see image) which usually coincides with emerging hungry pests, furry or otherwise.

Grazers is very effective at this stage and actually benefits the plant due its nutrient content.

 

 

 

 

Seedlings raised in the greenhouse (image below) are very tender and sensitive so should be hardened off before treatment ie. brought outside for increasing lengths of time during the day and brought back in at night over the space of  a week, after about a week of this process then normal spraying can proceed.

 

Also remember all Grazers products are safe to spray in the garden whether there are children or pets.

They don't even harm the pest!

Happy Gardening!

Some practical advice from a gardener with roe deer

We have constant deer problems all year round.  I am taking out lilies because they love the new shoots on those, however, last year I sprayed regularly from early sign of shoots and my lily bed was saved and they flowered.  See before photo!

I am introducing deer repellent plants such as lavender, poppy and other aromatics, although I tend to spray everything in the flower borders except daffodil and tulip at the moment.  I have to spray roses, mallow, hollyhock, lupin, anemone, verbena and bergenia .  My veg are cordoned off!

*The strength is 30 ml to 5 litres as you instruct on your box. 

I do it about every 4-6 weeks, sooner if I see that damage has been caused.

I have had some success from using your product, but one has to be organised about remembering to keep up the spaying!

I tell anyone who has deer problems to get some.  I am going to spray my neighbours garden soon, so she can see if it makes a difference to her newly planted shrubs.

 

Roe deer in my garden before using Grazers

 

words and picture sent to us by a gardener in Somerset

 

 

* application rate and frequency can be increased very safely if required