I created a “How to control slugs” video a couple of years back and it had some really
useful feedback.
I’ve tried a few more methods since so I thought I’d share them and give that video
a little update.
This is “How to control slugs and snails, Volume 2”.
Slugs and snails are my main adversary in the garden.
I don’t really have any other pest problems but the slugs and snail, if left uncontrolled,
will eat everything.
I’ve tried quite a few methods now and I hope the following advice will help you if
you have a similar problem to me.
I’d like to state early, that this is just what has worked, and hasn’t worked for me,
you may have different results.
I’ve grouped the methods I’ve tried into three categories.
I’ll start with “Deterrents”
In my first video I showed how to mix up a garlic spray you can apply to plants, which
slugs and snails don’t like, and should keep them away.
This was a little hit and miss and, by the time you start applying the spray, damage
has already been done.
A small seedling can be completely eaten in one evening, so this only really works on
established plants and, even then, I couldn’t completely trust it.
I also tried a mulch which contains a slug deterrent and spread this around the plants
I wanted to protect.
This also was not effective.
I’ve found that using a mulch gives pests a home, close to your plants, so you’re
essentially making their commute quicker.
I’ve found deterrents to not be an effective method of preventing slug and snail damage.
The next group of methods are barriers.
Here I’ve had much more success.
Depending on where you live, feel free to use my tried and tested yeet them over the
fence tactic.
Go out at night, ideally after rain, with a torch and collect them up.
Toss them over the fence but not into a neighbours property.
Some may come back, but many wont and you will reduce their numbers over time.
For a few years now my neighbour thought I, a grown man, was throwing stones late at night
for no reason at all... until I explained what was going on.
This is a specific one so I won’t spend much time on it, but I have found that raising
plants off of the ground, for example, in hydroponics, does make it a little more difficult
for slugs and snails to get to them.
Generally, they don’t have any problem getting to your pots or raised beds though.
The last barrier method I’ve used are plastic collars.
You sink one a little into the ground and sow or transplant your seedling into the center.
The shape of the collar makes it very difficult for slugs and snails to get in... they have
trouble getting past the thin rim here.
They work very well on single, large, plants and also helps with watering.
They are a little fragile and don’t work on rows of seedlings though.
I’ve found some metal ones online which I think could be a great investment for next
year and should last a long time.
The last group contains the more destructive methods, for when you’ve been pushed to
your limit.
I’ve used a few types of beer trap and these certainly look like they work.
You fill them with beer, which is enticing to slugs, and in the morning you are greeted
to a pot or bag full of dead slugs which have gorged themselves and fallen in drunk.
These can then be disposed of.
From an instant effect point of view, they seem to work.
You can place or bury them in key locations and I have found that it reduces damage to
nearby plants.
However, keeping them topped up with beer could be a little pricy and, after some further
research, it could be that beer traps actually encourage more slugs into your garden, as
the smell can be picked up from quite a distance.
They also don’t seem to work on snails.
It may be a good one to try, as you don’t need much to get started.
A simple trap can be made from any left over liquid container.
The last method came from a helpful comment on the previous video, pointing me towards
a couple of brands of organic slug pellet.
I’ve resisted for a long time as I don’t want to risk harming birds or other animals
in my garden, and I don’t want to poison the ground where I grow food.
There are a few good brands though which are not harmful to other animals and can be used
around fruit and veg.
Simply sprinkle them evenly over the surface of the area you want to protect and, after
eaten, the slug and snail populations do decrease.
They need to be refreshed after heavy rain but some brands add nutrients to the soil...
so it’s not wasted at least.
I’ve had good results with these so far but it doesn’t seem to work well on areas
which are mulched.
So, in summary.
If you’ve only got a few slugs and snails, try hunting for them after dark and moving
them away from your garden.
If you’re protecting single larger plants, collars work well.
If you’ve got a larger area to defend, use an organic slug and snail pellet to protect
that space.
Mulching and beer traps COULD be encouraging more pests, so different methods may be needed
in these locations.
You can apply Nematodes to your garden, a natural parasite to slugs and snails, but
I can’t offer advice on this as I’ve not given this a go yet.
I may try next year and, if I do, I’ll be sure to review it properly.
It’s very disheartening to have your hard work undone by slugs and snails, but hopefully
this video has armed you with a few effective solutions.
If you have any tips for controlling pests in your garden or allotment, please put them
in the comments so we can all learn and grow together.
Thank you to my patreons for their support and for everyone who commented on the previous
video.
Here are a couple of videos which you may be interested in.
Thank you for your time, and happy growing.