Snails and Slugs - The Constant Battle

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.