How to organically prevent and control slugs in your vegetable garden
There are various ways of organically preventing and controlling slugs. The following will give you some brief information:
Traps: Usually easy to use, low maintenance and long term use. Various designs exist to entice the slugs, suitable for patios, lawns and vegetable patch. All will require some form of bait – beer or a specialist attractant. Home-made traps in the form of plastic cups filled with beer are placed ½ inch above soil level.
Barriers: Very low maintenance, permanent, flexible and can be used in various situations. These consist of either a physical barrier or sensory repellent to deter slugs:
- Slug collars
- Copper tape/rings/mats
- Granules
- Spray repellent
Copper gives slugs a natural electric charge and they back away. Granules are designed to suck the slime from the slug which dares to cross over. Sprays are used in hard-to-protect-places like greenhouse window frames. It uses a smell that is repellent to slugs e.g. yukka extract.
Other controls
Organic Pellets: Very popular slug killer; effective for short-term use. Very economical in both price and usage.
Biological control: Boosting numbers of naturally occurring microscopic nematodes in the soil. Major advantage of this control is the fact that most slugs (90 %) live in the soil. One application lasts for up to 6 weeks. Only available from April to September due to a minimum soil temperature needed. More information available in our organic factsheet ‘Biological control of slugs’ – members’ only. Non-members’ please call 024 7630 8215 for a copy.
All these products are available from the Organic Gardening Catalogue.
Attracting predators: Hedgehogs, birds and black beetles will also control slug numbers. One of the best ways of attracting these creatures into the garden/allotment is to build a pond. For more information see our organic factsheets ‘Setting up a pond’, ‘Flowers for the wildlife garden’, Shrubs & climbers for the wildlife garden’ and ‘Trees for the wildlife garden’.
Midnight slug hunt: Slugs are nocturnal so don your miners hat and a pair of scissors and search and destroy!
Bottle cloches: Protect individual plants from slugs by cutting the bottom off a clear plastic bottle.
Roof tiles: Place on the soil which will provide a shelter for slugs. Simply remove the slugs frequently, leaving the beneficial black beetles in place.
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