From Bill with a few comments from Terry:
Most gardeners in our area struggle with the
control of snails and slugs. Although
baits can be effective controls some gardeners are reluctant to use them
because of the possible hazard to children and pets. In addition I understand that the baits will
kill worms in the garden with one exception that I’ll mention later.
I’ve collected a long list of alternative ways to combat
snails and slugs. You’ll be able to
find success with some of these. However,
the gardener must be persistent in eradicating these pests because, even though
you succeed in getting rid of the adults, their eggs persist in the soil. Diligence is the key.
Here’s a list of ways to attack snails and slugs:
- Simply pick them up and crush them between you fingers or
under foot.
- If you’re squeamish, you can put them in a mixture of
water and dish soap and they will soon be dead.
- Go out at night with a flash light when they’re out and
pick them as above.
- Put out empty grapefruit halves propped up and pick these
up in a day or two and dispose of them with the slugs in them.
- Lay out wet newspaper for a day or two and dispose with
the slugs on it.
- Surround vulnerable plants with sharp gravel, egg shells
or copper bands.
- Surround raised beds with cooper strips or gutter wire.
- Lay out a tarp with a small bowl of meat juice and go out
with a flash light at 9-10 PM.
- Set out bowls of beer.
The slugs and snails are attracted and fall in, get drunk, and drown. (From
Terry: I’ve found that cat food or tuna
cans are the perfect size for this – hold a limited amount of beer - but are
just right for slug drowning. Trader Joe’s
beer at $2.00 a sixpack draws them in just fine…)
- Spray your soil and plants with a mixture of one part
ammonia to ten parts water. It should
kill the slugs and supposedly it does not damage the plants.
- Spray your plants with coffee.
- Weed regularly and clear plant debris so there are fewer
places to hide.
- Water in the morning rather than the evening so the soil
is not damp at night.
- Put out decoy food like lettuce leaves to tempt the slugs
away from plants.
- Protect seedlings with cut plastic bottles.
- Line pots and containers with copper tape.
- Hoe regularly to bring slug and snail eggs to the surface
where predators can get them.
- Phasmorhabiditis
Hermaphrodita is a parasitic nematode that kills slugs. I have not seen it for sale but it’s out
there somewhere. (From Terry: I tried it but my slugs seem to be immune and
thriving. It seemed like a great idea
but don’t waste your money…)
- Finally—Sluggo is a non-toxic slug and snail bait. Iron phosphate is the active ingredient. Over
time the Sluggo degrades and becomes a part of the soil. Ingestion by the slugs and snails will cause
them to cease feeding. They begin to die
in three to six days.
I continue to regularly pick slugs and snails out of my garden. I've tried beer, newspaper, and copper tape
with varying success. I now apply Sluggo
on a regular basis because of the persistence of the eggs. I'm now noticing a substantial reduction of the
pests in my garden as a result. However,
Sluggo is expensive and requires frequent application. Beer has to be refilled often and copper tape is expensive and has to be
kept clean. Newspaper tends to dry out
blow around. So for the frugal gardener tried-and-true, day-to-day, (and night by night) hand-to-hand combat
against snails and slugs is the best deterrent.
Try some of the ideas on the list and let us know how they work for you.
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