Hanover Slug Fence - Trials at Pershore College in Worcestershire

Trials of our slug fence at Pershore College, Worcestershire

Slug fences have been popular in Germany for many years. Our slug fences are sold throughout Germany e.g. by NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland), see http://www.nabu-natur-shop.de/docs/Shop/detail.asp?aid=1583. NABU is a nature protection organisation with a large number of members throughout Germany.

Up to now, slug fences are almost unknown in England. So we are pleased to be able to tell you about successful trials which were carried out at Pershore College, Worcestershire as part of an HND Dissertation Thesis from Nicola Staff, a former student of the Department of Horticulture. The Department of Horticulture at  Pershore College has close ties to the Royal Horticultural Society.

Details of her HND dissertation thesis:
Title: Organic slug control
Date: May 2004
Lecturer: John Edgeley

We would like to thank Nicola Staff for sending us a copy of her paper. We are pleased to hear that she passed her final exams with good grades. In addition, the Hannover Slug Fence is now being sold by the Plant Centre at Pershore College.

The trials

During the trials, she tested the effectiveness of our slug fences and various other slug prevention measures using a group of adjacent garden plots. Over a period of several weeks, she tested whether slugs were able to penetrate the plots.

She tested our slug fences, hand picking slugs, traditional barriers (ash, egg shells and sharp sand), garlic, copper tape, beer traps and Nemaslug nematodes (living parasites).

Quote from Nicola Staff's dissertation thesis:

"The only creature to breach the barrier of the slug fence was a 2 cm long Deroceras reticulatum found underneath the pot of hostas. The fact that this slug was only 2 cm long suggests that it had hatched from a slug egg within the slug fence segment. The egg had probably been overlooked during the preparation of the trial site therefore the slug did not negotiate the metal wall and the sharp overhangs. This shows that the Hanover Slug Fence is an effective barrier for slugs and snails, providing the site that is surrounding has been succesfully cleared of all slugs, snails and eggs before construction begins"

"The slug fence is a good border definer and would look attractive in number of garden situations e.g. surrounding a small vegetable plot or surrounding a collection af special, slug damage prone plants. In my opinion, it is relatively inexpensive if you consider it as a long-term option."

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