All: Curious if it would be ok to start some sunflowers in smaller containers and transplant. As I understand they have a taproot but if I transplanted before the tap root got to the bottom of the pot would it be ok,. Only looking to transplant after a few weeks of sprouting, so can't see the root system developing that fast?.
Why not give it a try with a few sunflowers? Then you will know for next year if it was worthwhile or not.
You can easily transplant sunflower seedlings. Just be careful and try to avoid disturbing roots. I have successfully replanted several seedlings, that grew from seeds, that are dropped to the ground by birds (from a bird feeder).
Thanks all, will give it a shot, reason being is when I plant from seeds the slugs usually get them as soon as they sprout, but if they get a a few leaves on the seedlings they have a fighting chance.
Crushed egg shells around your seedlings always works for me and it doesn't poison hedge hogs etc like pellets.
Yes definatly, works a treat and hedge hogs live very happily without getting poisoned. We place a circle of crushed egg shells around all our Hostas and no slug or snail damage.
Thanks for the tip, will have to give it a try, I know diametecous earth will work but generally washes away.
Egg shells will stay for the whole season. Just to say though, do clean the membrane from the inside of the shells before crushing and placing in the garden otherwise it can cause rats.
The use of crushed eggshells to deter slugs is very controversial and it seems that they only work if slugs choose not to slide over them because if they want to, they will. Keep in mind that studies have shown slugs crossing sharp knives and even razor blades - the mucous they exude is very protective. It's worth trying though - perhaps some species of slugs behave differently than others. Will Crushed Eggshells Keep Slugs Out?
@Margot I just looked the attachment you posted and saw that the shells placed in the experiment seemed to have the membrane still attached, as broken pieces were still holding together. As I said to Bryan this must be removed. Agreed it maybe a myth to use eggshells, but it has worked here in our garden and it is worth a try as it is a natural product rather than chemicals. Nothing to lose to try it as an experiment, if it works great, if not, nothing lost.
In the past I have just baked eggshells in the oven to dry/burn off off the membrane, suppose that would be fine
I read the link, doesn't seem too positive about eggshells but will give it a go, did like the idea of copper wire, might be worth doing a couple rings around the seedlings plant with some copper wire.
Tbh Bryan I just peel it off with my fingers or wash them in hot soapy water. But either way is fine. I tend to start in January and build up a collection ready for Spring. But do have a look at Margot's posting, all I can say is it works for me, and my Hostas do not suffer at all from slug or snail damage... Well maybe a little, lol. Good luck
Never hurts to experiment and when you find something that works for you, then that's what to do. The forum is full of reccomendations, but what works for one may not for another. But that's gardening!!!
I usually start everything in peat pots. That way, the roots grow right through the compressed peat, no digging the plant out of the pots, and the peat ends up adding organic content to the garden soil. Last year (2020), I started several seeds indoors in peat pots March 15. The peat pots were 3" diameter. (Incidentally, if you shop at Superstore, the plastic trays they sell their Farmer's Market muffins in are almost a perfect fit for holding these 3" peat pots.) The sunflowers poked above the ground March 24. I put them outside in the ground April 19; just plopped the whole pots into the ground, and most of them did just fine. But as you pointed out, the slugs seem to like them. I don't think you have a choice: if you want to protect your sunflowers, you are going to have to use some commercial slug bait/poison. Most stuff sold in stores nowadays is only poisonous to slugs and snails, and uneaten pellets break down and add minerals to the soil.
Don’t forget the beer, slugs like beer. You just need to put it in a can or jar in the area you are trying to protect.
I've heard that too, but it didn't work for me. Maybe they didn't like the beer I used (I didn't like it either, that's why I used it for slug bait.) I put some beer is some shallow containers and put them out in the yard--but didn't catch any slugs. After a few weeks, the beer was rancid and the yard stunk, so I threw it out.
Well hi, I’ll tell you what happened, they came into your dish, had a party and left. This is the key, use a tall can or jar that they can not climb back out of , Then they have a beer and drown. db
I have had good success with such traps as well. I sink old plastic cups into the soil, but I put in a small amount of water, flour and yeast--like a very sloppy wet bread dough. I always find them full of drowned slugs.
