How to Get Rid of Slugs

If you’re an avid gardener you may have encountered the frustrating problem of slugs.

They can feed on vegetables, fruits, and plants, in your garden making them more susceptible to damage and disease. Plus, they can be difficult to completely eradicate from a garden although certain steps can be taken to reduce their numbers. They do have the positive role of helping to maintain the health of the soil but the damage they can cause to plants is sometimes more than even a kind hearted gardener can tolerate.

If you’ve had your fill of slugs are ready to take action, here are some ways to eliminate slugs:

How to get rid of slugs : Reduce moisture and dead leaves

Slugs thrive in areas of high moisture and moist surfaces are required for the young ones to hatch. Plus, they’re nocturnal creatures. You can take advantage of this fact by watering your garden in the morning to ensure there’s less moisture around when the slugs come out after dusk. Remove any obvious sources of moisture that might attract slugs to your garden. Also keep your garden clear of dead leaves which can serve as hiding places for slugs. Keep your raised beds as clear of debris as possible.

How to get rid of slugs : Encourage their predators

By having a diversity of plants growing in your garden you’ll be more likely to encourage some of the slugs hungry predators which include garter snakes, beetles, turtles, frogs, toads, lizards and birds. Hang a variety of bird feeders around your garden to encourage birds to regularly visit your garden. This is a natural way to keep the slug population under control and help to keep the birds well fed.

How to get rid of slugs : Remove them by hand

This is a simple, all natural way to reduce the slug population in your garden. Simply put on gloves and gather a pail at around dusk when the slugs come out in force. Use your gloved hands to remove them as they emerge from the soil. Place them in your pail and dispose of them outside the boundaries of your garden. If this is done consistently along with reducing moisture and hiding places for the slugs, you can reduce their numbers considerably.

How to get rid of slugs : Use beer

Slugs are attracted to the smell of beer. Find some shallow metal pans and fill them with beer. Place the pans beneath the soil so the rim is level with the ground. The slugs will be attracted to the beer and will fall into the pan and drown.

How to get rid of slugs : Use the power of copper

Just as much as slugs enjoy beer, they avoid copper as it can interact with the slime they produce on the surface of their bodies. You can use copper screening and copper foiling to provide barriers to slugs around certain plants and plant beds. Another solution is to mix one part copper sulphate with four parts garden lime dissolved in water. Use this solution around the edges of your garden. This mixture can also be purchased at gardening stores ready made.

Although slugs can be a source of frustration for any gardener, there are a variety of simple ways to help reduce their population as well as their potential to damage your plants. Don’t let the slugs destroy your well planned garden and plants.