ZZZ DISCONTINUED BioFriend Slug-Banish (400 square feet pack)

Probably the most annoying garden pest of them all is the slug; whole books have been written about killing and controlling them – including such novel ideas as getting them drunk, electrocuting them or even liquidising them and using the resultant slime as a deterrent paste.

To this day the most common method of controlling slugs is to kill them with 'pellets'; these are far from safe and have killed domestic pets, birds and other wildlife - Stephen and Serena Shirley, who are keen hedgehog rescuers, have sadly had personal experience of this.

It has often been said that prevention is better than cure and to this end we bring you BioFriend Slug-Banish – an 'organic friendly' soil conditioner and soil stimulant. Slugs appear to dislike the change in soil chemistry that its application brings about and will re-locate elsewhere – banish slugs from your garden

Slug-Banish is safe to all pets, birds and hedgehogs when used in accordance with our simple directions for use and guidance enclosed with each pack that provides treatment of an area of 400 square feet (37 square metres) for about nine months.

This formulation has been in use for over 150 years and does not have the harmful side effect like 'pellets'; that have killed domestic pets, birds and other wild life - having said that, it must not be allowed to contaminate garden ponds since it could cause distress to the fish that are sensitive to any change in water chemistry.

It comes in a sealed pack to be made into a stock solution. This in turn being 'the concentrate' is added to water and applied to the soil with a water can using a course rose - so simple, so quick, clean and efficient.

BioFriend Slug-Banish does not contain Aminopyralid and should not be confused with the herbicide marketed under the name of Banish (that does and is known to cause severe damage to a wide variety of crops).

The Pesticide Safety Directorate have confirmed to us that this product is outside the scope of requiring formal approval under the Control Of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (as amended).

Instructions For The Use Of Slug-Banish

Slug-Banish has been formulated as an 'organic friendly' soil conditioner and soil stimulant. As a side benefit slugs appear to dislike the change in soil chemistry that its application brings about and will re-locate elsewhere.

Method Of Use

• Dilute the entire contents of one sealed sachet of Slug-Banish concentrate into a plastic pail containing two pints (or 1200 ml) of hot water.
• Immediately add a further 6 pints (or 3300 ml) of warm water. This will give you one gallon (4.5 litres) of concentrate solution.

We suggest you wear plastic gloves to avoid any unlikely allergic reaction. Do not mix or dissolve in any domestic cooking vessel. Keep this concentrated solution away from ponds, pets and children. Leave to cool before decanting into a one gallon (4.5 litre) plastic container or a series of containers for possible later use. Store in a place free of frost (and mark clearly so you know what it is).

Application
The stock solution liquid concentrate is utilised by employing the following method:

• Each pack can provide treatment to an area 20 x 20 feet (6.1 x 6.1 metres) for about nine months.
• Take a domestic 2 gallon water can with a course rose and add one pint (600 ml) of the stock solution.
• Add cold water to fill the can.
• You should now water this on the soil as an even drench (avoid excessive wetting of plant foliage especially in bright sunshine for like plain tap water sprinkled over plants in bright sun this may cause scorch to the leaves).
• Repeat this process until you have used all the stock solution, ie you will use eight two gallon (10 litre) water cans on an area 20 feet x 20 feet (6.1 x 6.1 metres).
• If you have a surplus of solution - ie you want to treat a smaller area - you can store your remaining stock solution clearly labelled in plastic or glass containers in a dark frost free place.
• Wash hands after use.

Timing of Application Is Important

• Ground must be thoroughly moist before application. Unless the ground is very moist Slug Banish will not be effective (i.e. on dry or parched soil). Don't waste your time and money trying to treat dry ground.
• It can be applied all year round but will be found to be most effective when not only soil is moist but also air and soil temperatures are increasing ie May to October in the UK.
• Do not use when heavy rainfall is expected.
• Equally its effect would be unreliable in conditions as the Autumn and early Spring of 2002/03 when large areas of the country became flooded. Ground should be clear of weeds and other debris.
• The ideal time to undertake this treatment is shortly before sun down or dusk since this is the time when the slugs are most active.

Soil Toxicity Risk?
The elements of Slug-Banish will cause no harm to plant life or garden worms; in fact the beneficial release of trace elements being the composition formula of Slug Banish can, long-term, improve nitrifying soil bacteria.

Whilst we make no claim with regard to the fungistatic properties of Slug-Banish we do not recommend its use on some species of conifers where the growth of mycorrhizal (a beneficial root fungi) may be slowed. Similarly we do not recommend the use of Slug-Banish on crops such as mushrooms and other related fungi.

On soils tending to be acid a winter dressing of carbonate of lime is recommended to balance or raise the pH. Most vegetables grow better on soil above neutral, ie tending to be alkaline where in any event slugs are always less troublesome.