Slugs and snails are a gardener’s worst enemy. They are voracious, ruthless eaters of plant material. If given the slightest opportunity, they can devour a perfectly healthy plant in a matter of days.
When you first see the fierceness of these blubbery little creatures as a novice gardener, it might be discouraging. If you lose a few leaves to some avaricious new neighbors, it can be easy to feel like you’ve failed at gardening.
Still, don’t give up!
While not everyone will have issues with slugs, there are several things we can do to discourage them from bothering you if they do. The good news is that they are less likely to discover your plants and are easier to discourage if they do if you have a balcony, enclosed garden, or high-up terrace.
However, in the unlikely event that you must engage in combat with them, here are some tried-and-true methods:
Tips to stop slugs and snails eating your plants
1.) A cloche for plants
A cloche for plants is probably the best and most environmentally friendly way to stop snails and slugs from eating seedlings. Simply place the garden cloche over the seedling and it will be protected from snails, slugs, gnats, and other forces of nature, including frost, rain, and wind.
2.) Crushed eggshells, mulch, gravel, or wood chips
Because molluscs dislike walking on uneven terrain, you can use this texture to discourage them if they notice any sharp edges.
3.) Copper tape or pots
This is a very successful slug-repelling method. If you can secure your containers with enough copper tape, slugs will be less likely to climb the side of the container to reach their smorgasbord above—though they won’t completely vanish from your garden. Slugs dislike copper because, when they slime their way onto it, it electrocutes them somewhat. Thus, how do they act? They turn around and make a hasty exit. Issue resolved!
4.) Ground coffee.
Coffee grinds have a harsh flavor that slugs dislike. To discourage them, scatter coffee grounds on the ground surrounding your plants. (However, as coffee grounds are harmful to animals, this method might not be effective if you have any family members with four legs that wander around.)
5.) Construct a slug lure.
Provide a slug buffet bar in a setting that appeals to them. A Tupperware container containing beer or vegetables could serve as the bait. They’re not as likely to concentrate on your plants if you can draw them here, and it’s really simple to remove them afterwards. (For this, you might want to put on your rubber gloves.)
6.) Slug pellets
These are the big weapons, and while we would prefer not to use them in an emergency, they can be effective in a pinch. Make sure the brand of slug pellets you purchase is safe for people, pets, and other wildlife if you want to use them. (If the product is not harmful to people, animals, or pets, it will be made very obvious on the tin; if not, we wouldn’t suggest purchasing it.)
You can thus test a variety of strategies.
Additionally, keep in mind these points:
You are able to move and pick them up!
This is an incredibly easy and dependable way to get rid of them! Pick them up and remove them from your garden as soon as you see them. It’s not the most pleasant job because the small things are slimy. It instantly ends any sluggy party, but it won’t stop them from returning or from getting in.
Particularly after rainy weather, exercise caution
Because they like moist environments, slugs and snails are more common in rainy or even stormy weather, such as the one we’ve experienced today.
Learn about your garden
There are certain areas of your garden that are more likely to attract slugs and snails than others, and certain gardens have a higher concentration of these creatures than others.
After rainy weather, pay attention to these places and focus on removing slugs or snails there initially.
How not to act!
PLEASE REMEMBER NOT to salt them.
They erupt in salt, which also effectively kills them in excruciating pain. We do not advise using salt at all because it is extremely harmful to flora in addition to being a brutal and agonizing method of killing slugs and snails.
Slugs can be persistent, so beware. You have to be just as good as them if you want to win.
Without causing them any additional pain, if possible!
