cleaning brass handles quickly + keeping slugs from hostia

[eunice54]

I have lots of brass handles ..good quality to clean and I want to do it quickly without scrubbing too much ,can anyone help?also how do I keep slugs from my hostia?.....have tried pellets but would like to try another method....

[Eibhlin ni Sheambrai]

Originally Posted by eunice54

I have lots of brass handles ..good quality to clean and I want to do it quickly without scrubbing too much ,can anyone help?also how do I keep slugs from my hostia?.....have tried pellets but would like to try another method....

Try sand, gravel or broken glass around Hosta--anythng slugs don't like to crawl on.

For cleaning any metal,I find Cif stainless steel cleaner works easily on all metals. I have used it for copper, brass, steel etc.

[doer upper]

The only sure fire way to keep your hostas slug free is to put them in containers.I divided a huge garden hosta last year and now have five big container plants. When they die down, I just put them around the back and whip them out again in Spring when they come back into growth
Hope this is of help..

[melissabell]

For the brass use lemon juice, you can get bottles of it for 36c in lidl. put them in a container and leave them in the juice over night then a quick polish and hey presto, also will eat rust right back to the metal ;)

[alitrace]

I found a plastic jar in the E2 store which has a raised lid on it. I pour about 1cm of beer into it and leave it in the garden. In the morning there are loads of slugs in the jar.

[mario40]

Originally Posted by eunice54

I have lots of brass handles ..good quality to clean and I want to do it quickly without scrubbing too much ,can anyone help?also how do I keep slugs from my hostia?.....have tried pellets but would like to try another method....

Beer traps work best for slugs. Pour some beer in the bottom of a jar and lie on the ground with the jar on a slant, maybe with the top of the jar resting on a rock or stone. The slugs will climb up the stone to get into the jar, but will not be able to get back out

[VOL]

I found beer traps seem to attract more slugs!! :-(
What does work is egg shells, since I started using them I have very little slug damage. They do get into pots as well unfortunelately.
Let the eggshells dry out, they seem to be a bit sharper then when you crush them and just put them around the base of the plants.

[Lucylugs]

Hi
funny enough WD40 is the answer for both!
I have found when I'm oiling door handles they come up really shiny anywhere the WD40 has been and if you have Hostas in a pot spraying it on the outside stops slugs crawling up to them.
If they are not in a pot put a band of copper wire around them. I have got it in Aldi before I think it was for welding. For extra protection as well as eggshells try ashes.
Hope this helps,
Lucylugs

[bob909]

For the slugs: a strip of double sided tape with one side covered in salt, then put a line of the tape around the edge of the pot with your plants in them.

For the Brass: lidls W5 spray kitchen cleaner works fantastic on brass. spray it , give it a light rub and its good as new.

[Marhen]

Not sure about cleaning the brass handles but I have heard that beer works with slugs in the garden. also I watched a tv programme on gardening and they talked about this copper on a roll that has a sticky back and you stick it around the pots and on the edging around the beds and that the slugs and snails get a mild electric shock when they try to cross it but it does not kill them. I decided to find out more about it and bought it in the garden centre. Its called The Garden Helpers range-Copper Slug and Snail Tape. You get 4 metres and the cost is 9.99e. A bit pricy but if it works!!! great. The Brand is BOSMERE. Heres hoping!! Marhen

[finj]

I bought a product called NEMASLUG from mr midleton.ie. Its a powder that you mix with water and water into the soil around your plants. I had great sucess... its only supposed to be active for 6 weeks but since using it i have lost very few plants to slugs ..

[joanmul]

I got those small white marble chippings that graves have on them from a head-stone maker. I just got a small bag of them, enough to put on the top of the pot. They are ornamental when the hostas die back but you don't see them when they are fully grown. It works but I'm going to put a few egg shells as well next year as a few of the leaves got attacked.

[Kernow]

Place sea weed around the base of any plant you want to protect from slugs, provides a natural barrier from slugs. Also as it rots down it provides great compost for your plant.

[Greenshedman]

I find black soot brilliant. After you remove the ashes from your stove/ fireplace you will usually find some within the fireplace or stove or lower end of the chimney. Place a sheet of newspaper in base of fireplace and a quick rub with a wire brush will give you plenty. Alternatively clean your chimney and keep the soot dry in your shed. Sprinkle it on the general area around the base of the plants.

Ditto seaweed. apparently the slugs do no like the salt in the seaweed. Effect wears off after a few weeks.

Njoy.

[ima13]

Make a mixture of vinegar+ flour+water.apply and wait,when dry.after polish with soft cloth. Do it once a week.