Posted by John | Posted in how to get rid of slugs | Posted on 11-09-2011
Tags: get rid of slugs, getting rid of slugs, how to get rid of slugs, how to get rid of slugs at home, slug control, slug removal, slug traps
Hey Guys,
I’ve dubbed this article ‘How To Get Rid of Slugs: The Ultimate Guide’ because I’m going to pull out all the stops and share with you just about every method I know for getting rid of slugs, so be prepared for a long and comprehensive article…
Slugs are shell-less gastropod mollusks that come out at night and eat vegetation.
Because they eat vegetation, leaving holes in aesthetic plants and destroying fruits and vegetables, they are the bane of gardeners the world over and many techniques have been developed for getting rid of them and controlling their numbers.
I’ve split the techniques into two broad categories; humane and lethal. It’s fair to say that the lethal methods of getting rid of slugs are far more effective than the humane methods, however if your personal values prohibit you from causing harm to creatures, the humane methods are all you have. Ideally, a combination of both humane and lethal methods should be used.
How To Get Rid of Slugs Humanely
Whereas lethal slug control techniques involve killing them, humane slug control methods aim to make the slug’s environment as undesirable as possible for them forcing them to move to another location.
Therefore, it is important to understand the conditions a slug likes and dislikes.
Tidy Up
Slugs like live somewhere dark, cool and damp – that is why they are nocturnal and only come out at night. Removing decaying matter from your garden (by sweeping up dead leaves for example) and pruning low-hanging leaves limits places for them to hide during the daytime. Also, if you water your garden in the morning instead of the evening, it will make your garden less hospitable to slugs during the night-time when they are most active.
If you are having problems with slugs getting into your house at night, you should give your home a good clean and try to locate how the slugs are getting in (through the floor, cavities in the masonry, ventilation ducts etc.) before sealing it off. You can find further information in my article ‘how to get rid of slugs in the home‘.
Barriers
You can also guard your plants from slugs by erecting impassable barriers around them.
Good materials for barriers are those that are either too dry or too sharp for the slugs to cross. Sand, soot and eggshells work well (eggshells are also beneficial to the fertilization of the soil as they decay). Diatomaceous earth, which can be obtained from garden centers and online also prevents slugs getting to your plants.
For smaller plants or saplings, you can cut a plastic drinks bottle in half and place the top part (with the spout) over your plant, which also creates an effective barrier.
Another way to stop slugs getting at your plants is to use self-adhesive copper tape. When a slug tries to cross it, it delivers a mild electric shock that prompts it to change direction. If you have a lot of plants growing in pots, this makes an ideal slug repellent because you can stick it around the rim of the plant pots.
Finally, you can fence in your plants using semi-rigid plastic sheeting buried on it’s edge in the ground with 8-10 inches protruding above the surface.
How To Kill Slugs
Slug Pellets
Slug pellets are one of the most effective method of getting rid of slugs – although some brands are better than others at the task.
Sluggo Organic Slug Pellets
Sluggo and SlugGone are the best slug pellets I have found (see my article here). Simply scatter the pellets around your garden and your slugs (and snails) will be attracted to them and eat them. After a few days, they will die because the chemicals change their metabolism and they starve to death.
The great thing about these pellets is that they are biodegradable and will not harm other animals – wildlife and pets, which makes them ideal for pet-owners. They are also safe to use if you have young children.
There are other chemicals available for killing slugs but not all are organic and non-toxic and, in my experience, none are as effective as Sluggo.
The Beer Trap
Beer traps are an old and traditional (and very effective) method of getting rid of slugs.
Although you can purchase beer traps like the highly-acclaimed SLUG X TRAP, you can easily construct a home-made equivalent and, of course, home-made traps are much less expensive.
Simply bury a small tub (such as a butter tub) in the earth near to where you’ve noticed slug activity (so that the rim is level with the ground). Then, fill the tub with beer (Budweiser seems to work well) and leave overnight. In the morning, you’ll have a tub full of dead slugs.
Slugs are attracted by the beer and as they feed on it, they fall in and drown.
In my experience, the beer trap is THE best method of getting rid of slugs from your home and garden.
Quack Quack
Finally, if you have the space, you could introduce natural predators of the slug to your garden such as chickens or ducks. Poultry such as these will wander your garden eating any slugs they find, however this method is only practical if you use their slug-devouring skills as a secondary benefit – the primary benefit being their food production (both eggs and meat).
