I'm also in the UK (London). Now the drought has ended (very little rain for a year and a half here in the South East!) the slugs and snails are making themselves very visible again. I use the iron phosphate pellets, and they do work. As with all slug pellets, you apply them very sparingly rather than in big clumps. I have a big garden (175 feet long), and a container of pellets still seems to last a long time. You can get rain-proof pellets, but you'd probably need to reapply them if there's non-stop rain for weeks on end (although I think you're only supposed to apply them a maximum of 4 times in the growing season, or something like that). Do give them a try (they were quite cheap in B&Q last time I looked, or was it Homebase? About £3.50 a tub).

Slugs seem to love cat food also. It is amazing how far and high those beasties can travel - and quickly! I like to go out with a flashlight when I can't sleep. I try to knock them into a container and give them to the chickens the next day - but sometimes I have to do what needs to be done. Best of luck with the war.

Anything that kills insects is by definition poison. It doesn't matter if it is an organic or synthetic; it is still poison and acts in basically the same way to kill. The concentration of poison is the key as to whether it is dangerous to man or beast. hh, my guess is that your cats are well fed and have no interest in scavaging slug baits for food. The real concern is use of Metaldehydes is that they dissolve into water. The EPA has a one tenth part per billion limit on Metaldehydes in drinking water. This is one three thousandth of any level that has been shown to have any effect on humans. Myself, I think it is safe if used according to directions. If I had well water I would be careful around my well. I think the technique (that I have just learned) where people use a perimeter defense makes sense. If you spread a ring of bait around hosta beds the slugs will have to cross the "Death Ring" to get at the hostas. The zone inside this perimeter should not allow slugs to enter. Getting rid of slugs within the perimeter with ammonia while establishing this desluggerized zone would be necessary initially and may require an occasional spray. It would keep the use of toxic materials to a minimum and it would save money and it should be effective. I don't know what problems there might be with this technique ??? Jon

While keeping the planting beds well mulched creates conditions that slugs find very nice to live in I find little damage to plants unless the level of the mulch falls below an inch of two. Apparently I also have created conditions that toads, garter snakes, and lots of birds find very liveable and they are quite prolific in my garden and help control the slugs for me. If I do have a problem simply spraying the affected plants with cold, caffienated coffee repels the slugs.