Slug Rings are 2 inch high copper rings which are placed around individual plants to keep slugs and snails out.

Why?
The slug's slimy mucus reacts to the copper resulting in an electrical charge thus the slug or snail gets a small electric shock, deterring it from crossing the copper ring. These pests detest crawling on copper, so Slug Rings make a very effective barrier. Since the copper rings cause no harm, you can have healthy plants and healthy slugs and snails too.

In April 2004 Gardening Which? conducted trials of barrier methods to protect plants from slugs and snails, using hostas as bait. In their May 2005 edition they published the results and Slug Rings were proven to be the most effective barrier protection of all those tested for plants in the ground and were recommended as a 'best buy'.

Slug rings come in two sizes, small for single stem plants and seedlings, and large for plants like hostas, delphiniums, lettuces and lupins.

Slug Rings are guaranteed to last a lifetime, they can be used over and over again for season after season.

When?
Plants are at their most vulnerable when they are young and succulent, so the earlier that they are protected the better. It is best to put Slug Rings around beans when you sow the seeds, around the delphiniums before new spring growth starts, and around the hostas all the time.

How?
Press the Slug Ring into the soil around the plant. Make sure that:

* there are no slugs or snails trapped inside. Have a good root around to be certain, because they won't be able to get out. In the first few days check that you didn't miss any.

* the rings are scrunched into the soil a little way to leave no gaps underneath for a slug to sneak through. Wet the soil first if it is too hard.

* there are no leaves overhanging the ring and touching the soil to make a bridge for slugs and snails to cross.

* foliage doesn't overhang the ring from outside, allowing snails to abseil in.

To take the Slug Ring off a climber or a plant which has grown very bushy, rotate the ring to a convenient position, pull the join apart and open the ring to clear the plant. Then gently and firmly push the join back into place.

If you need a bigger ring you can open two large rings, bend them to a larger diameter, and join them nose to tail.

After a few weeks exposure to weather, especially rain, Slug Rings take on a brown patina to blend comfortably into your garden. Slug Rings are equally effective whether they are shiny and new, with a brown patina, or even ancient green.