Any suggestions for slug control ~ organically?
Question:I battled slugs in my garden last year. Some of my plants really took a beating. I'm not into any chemical treatment. I've tried beer traps and egg shells. Any other ideas?
Answers:
Put down some foil (kitchen stuff) or copper around your plant. Completely circle it 'round your plant in a stirp. you do not need to cover the complete bottom and waste foil, just wing it 'round. This wards 'um off. Then sprinkle salt on the beasts that are on your plant then youre plants can breath again. LOL, this will safeguard your plants.
Salt. Not only effective, but fun.
how about a spray bottle with dawn dish soap. that works for ants and aphids so I would think it would work good for slugs
Check out the link!
"Beer traps or milk traps – Use margarine tubs with lids and holes cut in the sides. Empty and replenish regularly. Use several (one every 2M) for best results.
Plastic bottles – Cut the tops and bottoms off soft-drink bottles and use them to protect young plants from slug attack
Board traps – Cut short lengths of board and lay them firmly on level damp soil at regular intervals. Inspect their undersides regularly and gather the slugs. If they are neglected they create a slug habitat instead of a slug trap.
Copper barriers – Cut circles from an old water cylinder and use to surround vulnerable plants.
Electronic slug fences – Buy these in a garden centre and use in strategic places e.g. the doorway
Ducks – Run ducks in the vegetable garden in the Winter and they will root out and consume vast quantities of slugs. In the growing season they can trample seed beds, dirty crops and are very partial to the hearts of lettuce, cabbage etc.
Frogs – Build a pond and encourage frogs. They will reduce the slug population.
Hedgehogs – Build a nesting box and entice hedgehogs in with bacon rind. Site under a hedge or in a shrubbery. If they breed in your garden they will eat a good number of slugs.
Birds – Encourage Thrushes and they will take care of your Snail problem.
Ground beetles – Mulches encourage ground beetles, who eat some slugs. However mulches also encourage slugs.
Large plants – Grow plants to a good size before planting them out. Slugs may take a few bites but will not destroy the whole plant
Grass – Keep all grass areas regularly mown and as far away as possible from vegetable beds. Grass pathways between beds may look well but are not a good idea where slugs are a problem.
Grit – A gravel or grit pathway between beds and between grass areas and beds helps to deter slugs.
Night patrol – At dusk, on soft evenings, slugs can be gathered by torchlight from vulnerable plants. This job can be made more efficient by putting down small piles of bran or oatmeal in strategic places. This will attract the slugs and they can be gathered more quickly.
Biological control – Use Nematodes ("Nemaslug") watered onto an area to kill slugs naturally. Ground must be kept moist to keep the nematodes alive.
Organic slug pellets – At last there is a safe slug pellet available, called "Ferramol". This is based on Iron Phosphate and kills slugs but is not toxic to dogs, cats, fish or birds. "
Belive it or not, I've heard that beer acts as a repellent
Poultry grit, duct tape, screen cloth,
Pick up all garden debris, leave nothing that they can hide under
Make toad hotels Toads eat slugs
Some some short hair spread around, they try to swallow it but instead they choke on it
Some times some wet newspaper rolled to a 2 to 3in dia will give them a daylight hiding place . You'll need to place wet ones down at night just before sunset, then check them out in AM
Beer in deep cups will cause the slugs to drown
Yeah, I tried everything too, so I decided to give away the strawberry plants and drink the beer.
have you tried salt or putting a mesh wire fence around you garden
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