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An electric fence for slugs and snails
What fights off slugs and snails and what doesn't?
To get right down to it: almost everything you can find on the internet to stop slugs and snails from eating up your garden either works a little or doesn't work at all.
In the end, we found only 1 thing that really works: an electric fence. Since we couldn't find a good one on the market, we made it ourselves:
Made for anyone whose garden boxes are being taken over by slugs and snails.
It gives slugs and snails a shock. But you, your kids, and your pets won't feel a thing.
It gives slugs and snails a shock. But you, your kids, and your pets won't feel a thing.
Why make a slug fence?
Our goal is to get rid of the cons of growing your own food, so only the pros are left. And we got pretty far:
- You only need a small amount of space, thanks to our growing system.
- With our special soil mix, everything grows well: from lettuce to tomatoes.
- You don't need any experience: the app helps you every step of the way.
- There is no heavy lifting. And you can maintain it in almost no time.
So, there's just one thing left to drive us all nuts: slugs. Or snails.
Slugs and snails 🐌🐌🐌
And yeah, for 80% of the people using our system, slugs and snails are not that big of an issue.
A balcony Planty Garden usually won't have slugs. And a city garden may only have a few. You'd have to pick them off your plants every now and then.
If there are more than a few, I've written about a few different ways you can limit the damage.
The slug zone
But the other 20% of us live in slug zones.
Like my parents. Their garden is in the middle of an orchard. During the growing season, full slug armies are born there.
Unfortunately, our garden boxes were right in the midst of a breeding ground.
In a slug zone, you spend 90% of your time in your Planty Garden trying to keep slugs and snails out of your boxes.
And that's no fun.
Almost nothing helps sufficiently
Over the years, I tried everything. Copper tape, beer traps, eggshells, and slug brushes: clever ideas but hardly effective:
Nematodes - worms that eat slugs from the inside out - and eco-friendly slug pellets are also not effective enough.
What worked?
The only thing that worked reasonably well at that time were copper wires that I electrified with a 9-volt battery. So I continued with that, together with an (expensive) design agency.
Attaching it to the garden box
Unfortunately, assembling this device on the garden beds was quite difficult, the battery compartment was not 100% waterproof, and the screws started to rust over time.
That's why we stopped selling it and started working on our own:
That's why we stopped selling it and started working on our own:
- We created a new design
- Learned how to use 3D printers
- Started with chains and then switched to wires
- And began the production of all materials
We developed and made this electric fence all by ourselves. We are super proud of it, because it was more challenging than we initially thought.
Working with new programs and designing the right chips: all things we had never done before. And that's just the beginning. Because once the first device is finished, testing in practice begins. Then you have to deal with weather and wind, condensation in the box, snails that still manage to get over it: you name it.
But if you just start - and learn from all the mistakes you make - you will get there eventually 🙂 So after a long period of testing - adjusting - testing again - and adjusting again, we now have a great device.
But if you just start - and learn from all the mistakes you make - you will get there eventually 🙂 So after a long period of testing - adjusting - testing again - and adjusting again, we now have a great device.
Long story short: it works like we want it to.
In April 2023, we already sold a small batch through the community and used the users' experiences to make some final adjustments.
Now we can confidently say: if you mount our slug device on your Easy Vegetable Garden box, it will keep out almost all slugs. (Almost, because very clever slugs sometimes find a way around the electric fence, although that fortunately rarely happens 😐)
Furthermore, we have made it into a nice ready-to-use package:
Now we can confidently say: if you mount our slug device on your Easy Vegetable Garden box, it will keep out almost all slugs. (Almost, because very clever slugs sometimes find a way around the electric fence, although that fortunately rarely happens 😐)
Furthermore, we have made it into a nice ready-to-use package:
- a housing with the electronics
- four 1.5-volt batteries
- shock wires with springs
- a clip to hang the box
- parts to keep the wires at the right distance
- and a clear manual
Once you assembled it on your box - that will only take you about half an hour - you're set for years. The materials last a long time and you replace the battery once a year*.
*This is the only thing we're not completely sure about yet.
*This is the only thing we're not completely sure about yet.
How much?
The price is €44.95 for a vegetable garden box of 60 x 120 and €49.95 for one of 120 x 120. You need 1 box per garden.
That's just as expensive as our first electric fence from 5 years ago, while it's really better and lasts much longer. Plus: if your plants are constantly being eaten by slugs, it makes a big difference in the yield.
For example, AGHoef says: 'Extremely happy with the electric fence. Our garden is a paradise for slugs. Our plants were struggling, especially the spinach. And look now! Since we have the electric fence, we have beautiful spinach again 😍'
For example, AGHoef says: 'Extremely happy with the electric fence. Our garden is a paradise for slugs. Our plants were struggling, especially the spinach. And look now! Since we have the electric fence, we have beautiful spinach again 😍'
MM-Sofi says: 'I have tested it... it really works! Super happy.'
And Onderdeberk: 'Extremely happy with the electric fence! All my peas were eaten (and I didn't even dare to put anything else in that bed) and since the electric fence, no slug damage at all for a whole week. I can hardly believe it.'
Personally, I prefer 2 beds with slug electric fence than 4 beds without:
Personally, I prefer 2 beds with slug electric fence than 4 beds without:
- all your seedlings and small plants stay intact
- they grow faster and healthier because no slug damages them
- your harvest looks much more attractive: for once without holes 😉
In short: faster and more harvest, and 10 times more relaxed.
We made 3 sets.
This electric fence is specifically made for our current MM-hero and MM-bamboo beds. We have spent a long time making it fit perfectly. This is mainly due to the exact lengths of the wire, but also the electronic chips and the separate parts. It is therefore not intended for other beds.
Do you need a slug fence?
Well, only if you have a lot of slugs. If that's not the case, my other tips will help.
Besides, you can always get the slug fence later. If all else fails 😉
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