Seeing slug and snail damage in your garden? Here are tips on how to identify, control, and get rid of slugs and snails in the garden.
What Are Slugs and Snails?
Slugs and snails are very damaging garden pests that can be found throughout most of the worls, most often in temperate, humid climates. Your garden is likely to have more slugs during a particularly rainy season.
Slugs and snails are not insects; they are soft-bodied mollusks. Slugs and snails are members of the phylum Mollusca, along with the giant squid, the periwinkle, and the steamer clam. Unlike seagoing mollusks, these landlubbers are equipped with a single lung. The main difference between slugs and snails is that the latter have an obvious shell, which is primarily made up of calcium carbonate.
Slugs and snails are hermaphroditic, with each individual having both male and female reproductive organs. As you would expect, their love life is complex. The common gray garden slug dances an elaborate, hour-long nuptial waltz before mating, while other species perform acrobatic movements while hanging suspended from threads of slime.
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Slug hunt
I had a severe problem a few years ago...they were destroying all my young bean plants. It finally sunk in that it was likely slugs, so I went out around dusk and checked...sure enough there were numerous slugs coming from the tall grass to my garden. Back inside I grabbed the salt shaker and out I went getting over twenty that night. The next night I took a flashlight and went out just before dusk...after about 30 minutes I had killed over 100 with salt. I kept doing this for about 10 days, every evening. When I finally figured I had cured the slug problem I had killed over 1200. It was a bit of a chore, but that was the end of the slug problem.
slug hunting
Many years ago when my 3 boys were young and built close to the ground, I put a bounty of 1 penny a slug for motivation to encourage them to hunt slugs. Their friends also joined in. I gave each boy a slurpee cup and a spoon and showed them how to find the slugs and scoop them into the cup. I had them count a hundred slugs and I gave them a dollar for the cupful. They were very enthusiastic hunters and I had no slug problem for about 20 years after that.
Slugs and egg shells
I have been using crunched up egg shells around my hostas for years. They add nutrients to the soil and deter the slugs. I also use salt to melt the slugs I find or just step on them if they are small. I’m going to try the vinegar after reading this article.
Slugs and egg shells
I have been using crunched up egg shells around my hostas for years. They add nutrients to the soil and deter the slugs. I also use salt to melt the slugs I find or just step on them if they are small. I’m going to try the vinegar after reading this article.
deterring slugs
I am under the assumption that copper repels slugs and maybe snails.
I wonder if I stapled a #12 copper ground wire around the top of my raised gardens ? Copper is much more expensive this year than last, but am going to try it and let you know.
copper, slugs, and snails
Yes, this is correct. Snails and slugs are repelled by the unpleasant reaction between their bodies and the copper. Wrap a strip of copper (Surefire Slug/Snail Copper Barrier Tape) around the wooden sides of garden beds.
Sluggo and garlic
The slugs in my northern Maine garden are HUGE. I've tried the beer traps, using boards for them to hide under, just about everything but it's been very frustrating. I've never been able to grow lettuce, but interplanting the seedlings in my garlic bed yielded a great crop this year. The garlic apparently repelled the slugs and shaded the lettuce plants from hot summer sun. Sluggo,or Garden Safe Slug and Snail Bait, works good, too. You have to reapply the granules after a rain or every two weeks. Supposedly the active ingredient (iron phosphate) lures the slugs then kills them when they eat it. Safe to use around pets tho I don't allow my dogs in the vegetable garden. Takes a few days to work but does cut down the population quite a bit.
slugs
I use household ammonia , mixed with water in a spray bottle which I call my slug gun , I find the slugs,remove them from the plant, and squirt them , very effective, no soap , no oil, and it is not harmful at all to the soil, I used to put the ammonia in a bucket and throw the slugs in, disgusting to clean up but also effective, I avoid spraying on the plant as it may affect the foliage that is sprayed.I also set up hiding spots after a night I check them in the am and take control of any at that point.
slugs
I get them in my house ,how are they getting in ? How can I stop them?
slugs in the house
Slugs, like most small pests, get into the house through small “holes”—cracks, vents, gaps in windows or doors, or even where pipes enter the home—virtually any sliver of an opening is an invitation. And they can climb and travel upside down once they get there.
You need to clear leaf and other debris from around the house and fill the gaps above. Some sources recommend a sealant in a tube (home supply stores have many choices) and some say slug baits work. You could spread gravel or diatomaceous earth outside; they can not crawl over rough surfaces. Or get a duck or two; they eat slugs.
Killing Slugs
I use Bug-Geta and a lid from a milk jug. Place about 5-6 pellets in lid. Set the lids in your potted plants. Easy to remove when watering or when going to rain. Also place lid close to plants in ground. Check in morning and remove dead slugs. My bag of Bug-Geta has lasted for years because so little is needed. The lid keeps the pellets from getting wet in soil and can easily be removed for watering or when rain threatens.
Slugs
The slugs I have love phlox they have eaten my lovely plant , going to pot it instead of in garden
Ferns
How do I get rid of black slugs worms? in the morning when I get up there's are little eggs drop lines from my ferns that are hanging
reply to Abir
Forget the 100% removal of slugs, it will never happen no matter how diligent you are. The best you can hope for is cutting back on their population. They may seem slow but seem to move fast getting at your favourite plants. Just kill them by any means that suits you.
Killing slugs
I have found a pretty fool proof way of keeping the slug population down. I use scissors
and simply cut them in half. At dusk when they are out to destroy everything in sight I go out and am able to kill at least 50 in ten minutes. It's a bit gruesome at first but works fast and they absolutely die die die!
How long did it took you to become slug free?
To those who had a bad case of slug infestation, how long did it took you to become 100% slug free?
Slug Hunting
The flower beds and yard were inundated with all types of slugs. After trying various methods of natural removal, the best method is actually hunting! During ‘high traffic times’, take a fork and a jar half-full of water, some dish detergent and a little vinegar, and have at it! It’s taken 3 gardening seasons, but I am happy to say it has worked! I must have watched the movie Caddyshack one too many times! Cheers!
Giant Slug Invasion
I have huge slugs, about 3-4 inch long. They are brown with strips. These monsters crawl across any leftover dog and cat food which I have to depose of. Climb the side of the house & leave dropping or eggs I don't know which. Salt will kill them, I don't care for this method but it is an ongoing problem. My dogs and cat scratch but don't have fleas. I fear the slugs are crawling on them too. Looking for a method to deter them in a kinder way as I'm sure they are in some way a benefit to the earth.
Slugs
Be careful with the copper sheeting around your plants. Copper will kill plants too.
slugs
I have slugs in my house. How are they getting in? and besides scooping them up and throwing them outside how do I keep them out. I notice them more after it rains a lot.
Slugs in my lawn
I have a major problem with slugs living in my lawn. I have a small, long-haired dog, which comes back inside at night after being outside to do his 'business' and his underbelly and legs are covered in slugs. Removing the slugs and their slime from his coat is a nightmare. Being in the lawn makes it impossible to spread any sort of deterrent such as salt, phenol, etc, and placing cardboard or timber slats simply hasn't worked. Any suggestions?
Sprinkle floor cleaning
Sprinkle floor cleaning phenyl, slugs will curl up and die...
Slugs
Just sprinkle salt on your slugs and snails and they will curl up and die!
slugs
I used to use salt but it took the slugs a long time to die. Found a faster method was white vinegar sprayed or poured on slug. Also keep several wide mouthed jars with lids and one inch of white vinegar (plus a stick beside each jar) around the yard. Great for when you overturn a rock or pail, or old wood, etc and find anything from a fat 2 inch slug to a tiny baby slug snoozing. Whatever the size they stopped moving immediately upon hitting the vinegar. The vinegar even flushes out centipedes if poured on damp rocky areas. Downside to pouring on ground is it also kills worms which I need for my chickens. Whether hunting at dawn and dusk or coming upon them accidentally during daytime, at least I do not worry about the bees or praying mantis that also populate the garden. Happy slug hunting folks! P.S vinegar is great used directly on centipede or mosquito bites.
Slugs
Affirming white vinegar as slug killer.
Slugs
Yes beer works to get rid of them but beware if raccoons are in the area they will drink the beer and eat the slugs that drowned in it -experience
SLUGS
How effective can birds be at controlling slugs when the slugs are nocturnal and most birds are not?
sLUGS
The crows actually "find and dig the slugs from the ground like a Robin hunts for worms; Crows are the bet slug eater says Ralph Snodsmith;
Slugs
The slugs are eating my Marigolds! Your article says plant Marigolds to deter them?
Marigolds
We suggest planting marigolds around your more “valuable” flowers and vegetables so that the marigolds act as trap plants for the slugs. The intention is that the slugs will eat the marigolds rather than your other plants. So, marigolds do not deter slugs, but act as a good distraction.
To get them to stop eating your marigolds, you should try some of the other methods outlined above, such as a ring of broken egg shells or diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant, or a tuna can of beer.
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