How to Get Rid of Slugs and Snails? - 4 Effective Methods
Slugs and garden snails are a serious threat to plants growing in the garden. Leaves are their most common victims but they might also eat the roots. Snails without shell - slugs are a common plague in gardens. Not only they destroy plants but also they leave unpleasant, difficult to remove slime. Are you wondering how to get rid of slugs and snails in your garden? Fortunately, finding the right solution is not as difficult as it seems. Check the best ways to keep slugs out of the garden.
What types of snails are the biggest danger?
Slugs and snails typically appear when the weather conditions are suitable for them. They are attracted by humidity as well as densely growing plants that provide them shelter. Although they wreak havoc mostly at night and it’s hard to spot them during the day, you can easily recognize their presence by partially eaten plants. Sometimes, slugs in the garden also eat roots, and as a result, the plants wilt.
Snails are definitely a lesser threat than snails without shell - slugs. It doesn’t mean, though, that you can simply ignore them dwelling in your garden. Start acting as soon as you notice them to make sure they won’t stay in there for good.
What do slugs do and why getting rid of slugs, anyway?
Garden snails and slugs, just like other pests, come to the garden primarily in search for food. Finding shelter on hot sunny days is their additional motivation.
But do you really have to wonder how to get rid of snails as soon as you spot them? As for snails without shell, that is - slugs, it is recommended to act immediately. They are quite unique pests and their presence in the garden doesn’t bode well at all. Nonetheless, if you notice garden snails, you can hold for a while and observe their behaviour. Sometimes snails don’t prey on healthy plants and eat just scraps or naturally dying elements.
Interestingly enough, some snails can positively affect garden crops. They might eat weeds and their seeds. In this case, finding a way to kill snails is unnecessary.
Is a chemical slug killer a necessity?
Although many gardeners use a chemical slug killer as soon as they spot slugs in their garden, it’s not always necessary, or recommended. Keep in mind that any slug killer with even a scarcity of a chemical component has an iimpact on nature and might affect growth of some plants. For this reason, experts claim that such method for getting rid of slugs should be used as a last resort.
Home remedies make a great alternative and help to get rid of slugs effectively. Products you use every day in the kitchen might keep slugs out of your garden. Some of the natural methods are surprisingly efficient, and at the same time - safe for your plants.
How to get rid of slugs in the garden - are home remedies effective?
Homemade slug repellents are very effective - and not only when the pests have already invaded your garden. Many of them can be used as a precaution, which means that you can prevent the slugs from ever coming to your garden.
Using the right substrate is a good remedy, or rather a solution that keeps slugs out of the garden. You can enrich the soil using the following elements:
- small pebbles,
- scobs,
- crushed eggshells,
- ash.
They hinder the slugs’ ability to move around the garden, forcing them to avoid your parcel.
How to get rid of slugs in the garden? Use plants!
Plants that repel the pests are the best way to get rid of slugs in garden. If you grow ecological vegetables in your garden - consider adding the following plants:
- garlic,
- onions,
- mustard,
- marjoram,
- savory.
How about flowerbeds? Are you wondering if you can protect them from slugs naturally as well? Of course! Many different plants can enrich the flower border and protect it from pests. They are, for instance:
- chamomile,
- yarrow,
- thyme,
- sage,
- wormwood.
Some of them are beneficial for health, so you can use them in different ways. For example, chamomile and wormwood are good stomach remedies, while sage has anti-inflammatory properties and it can be used for acne-prone skin.
It is recommended to plant slug repellent plants on the extreme edges of beds. This way, the pests will be discouraged from further penetration of the area.
Coffee and cinnamon - garden slugs stand no chance
Coffee is one of the most effective garden slug remedy, which works multidimensionally. First of all, the pests hate its smell. Usually, all you have to do is spread some coffee grounds around the plants to deter the slugs from visiting your garden. But if it doesn’t work - you can also use the taste, also disliked by garden slugs and snails. The use of coffee, in this case, is a little different. You have to brew it and after it has cooled off, spray the plants delicately. Don’t give up spreading coffee grounds - by sticking to the slug’s body, they are an additional deterrent.
Cinnamon works exactly in the same way, as it repels the slugs with the smell and by sticking to their bodies. In this case, you just have to pour it on the ground - you don’t have to prepare any brews.
Getting rid of slugs in the garden - use baking soda!
You probably use baking soda in your kitchen regularly - but it has many more uses. You can clean a washing machine, descale a kettle or brighten curtains with it. It can also help you in the garden as a slug repellent.
Are you wondering whether using baking soda to get rid of snails is difficult? Some claim it’s the most effective method of getting rid of slugs. All you have to do is pour it in whatever spots you want to protect against the pests. Soda creates a barrier that repels slugs and snails - they are not able to cross it, so they give up and leave your garden.
How to kill slugs - a slug beer trap
Perhaps you have heard that slugs and snails are real beer afficionados. They love its sweet taste and the smell spreading around. If you are wondering how to get rid of slugs effectively, consider making a slug beer trap. It is not too complicated to create, so you will surely succeed. Keep in mind, though, that it’s not the most humane method, as you simply drown the creatures. But if you have a real plague in your garden - anything goes, just like in a war.
Preparing a slug beer trap involves just a few steps:
- Choose a medium-sized plastic container, where the caught-in-the-act slugs will end up.
- Dig a hole in the ground, large enough to fit your container. It should poke about 1 cm above the ground.
- Pour some beer into the container - 150-200 ml is well enough but the more you pour, the faster slugs will smell it and fall into the trap.
That’s really all you have to do. Make sure to empty the bucket from time to time and pour some fresh beer to lure more pests.
📍 Slugs in the garden - how to get rid of them?
You can use chemical products or home remedies to get rid of slugs in the garden. For a store-bought slug repellent, just go to a store where a specialist will tell you what to pick. If you want to use a homemade method, try baking soda, coffee or cinnamon. A beer trap is also a good slug killer.
📍 What do slugs do in the garden?
Slugs and snails in the garden usually appear when they search for food or shelter during hot and sunny days. You can also expect them if your garden is very humid and full of bushes and plant hideouts.
📍 What is a good slug repellent?
Slugs are repelled by various plants and herbs. Sage, chamomile, yarrow and wormwood are the most effective ones. You can also plant garlic or onions among vegetables to discourage the pests from exploring the area. Coffee grounds, cinnamon and soda spread on the ground are also good slug repellents.
📍 What do slugs eat in the garden?
Garden snails and slugs eat plants. There's no problem if they choose some organic leftovers or dead parts of plants. Unfortunately, they also tend to eat healthy plants and flowers - that's an issue. Snails without shell, that is, slugs are the biggest threat, as they are pests that eat plant roots as well.
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