Slugs can cause havoc to plants in
your garden.
Slugs cause the most damage on young plants, so make extra efforts to protect
them from
damage using any or all of these simple methods.
Slug Prevention. Slugs prefer a dark, damp
environment, so a dry environment will
discourage them from hanging around. Try spacing plants farther apart, and cultivate the soil
often to keep it dry on
the surface. If you usually much your garden, weigh up the advantages of
moisture retention against your slug problem.
Slug Barriers. Slugs are
soft-bodied creatures and don't like anything sharp so try sprinkling sharp sand, diatomaceous earth, crushed egg
shells or oyster shells around plants.
Slug Traps. Place boards, such as old palings, on
garden pathways. Slugs love dark, damp places so will tend to congregate under
the boards at night. Early in
the morning, turn over the boards and knock the slugs into a bucket of soapy
water.
Like a lot of humans, slugs are
quite partial to a beer (actually the yeast in beer). Create a slug trap by sinking an empty
container into the soil to the soil line and fill it with beer. At night the
slugs will dive in for a quick one
and eventually drown. Clean out the trap in the morning and replace with fresh
beer for the following night.
Slug Baits. There are a number of commercially available baits on the market
these days. Choose one that is the least toxic to humans and pets and take care
to make them inaccessible to children and pets. Don't forget that baits will
have to be reapplied after a rain. |
