These slithering creatures feed on any type of vegetation but often inflict great damage on soft or succulent leaves and the stem of a plant. Because of the threat, It is necessary to eliminate them. So how do you get rid of these slugs permanently?
Slugs are simply one of many pests, which can inhibit your garden and inflict harm to your plants. They can ruin young plants and early fruits by taking bites out of the foliage, which can result in deformed crops.
It can also be irritating to see these sticky, gross, and little creatures around you, particularly when their little trails show up nearly in all places around the yard. Fortunately, right here are distinctive methods to get rid of slugs permanently.
Why you have slugs in your garden
what causes slug infestation? Moist soil is one thing that attracts slugs to the garden. Slugs tend to dry out very quickly, and they love dwelling in an area that stays persistently moist.
You probably have a lot of slugs in your garden if you live in an area with lots of leafy plants and trees. They eat those plants, and then they go looking for more food. The more leafy plants there are, the more likely you’ll have a lot of slugs, this makes your garden a good place for them to be.
Most gardeners make use of mulch because it helps to stabilize soil conditions, decrease weeds, and maintain moisture. However, mulch can also entice slugs because it helps to keep moisture so well.
Slug infestation is caused by a variety of factors, but most often by the presence of slugs in the soil. These slithering creatures are harmless to humans, but they can be a serious pest in gardens and outdoor areas where they may damage plants and herbs.
The main causes of slug infestation include:
- Unfavorable climate conditions such as drought and excessive moisture.
- Excessive moisture or flooding on your property.
- Inappropriate planting practices or lack of mulching around plants.
- Diseased or diseased animals on your property that provide food for slugs.
How to Get Rid of Slugs
Create Obstacle
Your garden should not be appealing or comfortable to slugs. you can create prickly obstacles around your garden that would bring discomfort to slugs whenever they attempt infesting; use crushed egg shells and sharp gravel.
Another barrier option is copper tape or copper wire. You place the tape or wire around your plants or garden beds, and when the slug crawls across it, it would give a small electrical shock that is very uncomfortable. Other barriers include sea shells, sawdust, cat litter, and horticultural grit.
Bran Bait
Slugs love and gorge on bran, unfortunately, bran is harmful to them. Slugs are made of water, and they get dehydrated or drained by ingesting bran. Place rings of wheat bran or corn bran around your plant, avoid letting the bran contact the stem.
Use Eggshell
Using eggshells is a great way to get rid of slugs. Eggshells are made of calcium carbonate, which is highly absorbent of moisture and has a high pH level.
When you sprinkle a few eggshells around your garden, they will absorb the moisture from the soil and reduce the slug population in your garden.
Coffee grounds or citrus peels
Coffee grounds are completely non-toxic and will not harm your plants or pets when used as a deterrent. Citrus peels or coffee grounds will work wonders for your garden. The coffee grounds are great because they’re very high in nitrogen so you’ll have an instant effect on any slug that comes near your plants.
Citrus peels can also work well against slugs if used correctly. The best part about both these methods is that they don’t require any chemicals or pesticides which means that you’ll be able to enjoy your garden without worrying about harming any beneficial insects or animals like birds or bees.
Coffee grounds or citrus peels are both effective at repelling slugs, but they must be applied before the slug is present. If you see a slug on your lawn or in your garden, mix the coffee grounds with a little water and apply it in small amounts around the slug’s trail. Alternatively, tricking slugs into eating citrus peels is another option. Just place the peel on top of the slug’s trail and let them eat it.
Use salt
Salt is a great way to get rid of slugs in your yard. The salt will dehydrate them, and they will die.
Salt also works as a natural slug repellent when it comes into contact with the slug’s skin, it releases an acid that burns and irritates the creature’s skin.
This is enough to make the slug your garden a better safe place. You can sprinkle salt directly on plants or mix it with water and spray it on slugs. But it is more ideal and effective to sprinkle directly on plants.
Copper Tape
Copper tape is a great way to get rid of slugs. It’s made of copper, which is a natural predator of slugs and snails. The tape can be placed around the plants, or even on top of the soil itself. Copper can repel slugs and snails from eating and destroying your garden.
Firstly, you want to ensure that your garden is free of any weeds or other plants that could be hosts for slugs and snails. Then you’ll need to place some copper tape around the edge of each hole in your garden bed where you’ve spotted them (you can add more if you want), then just wait for them to crawl across it.
Copper tape is available in rolls at most home improvement stores. It’s usually sold in packs and is generally affordable.
Use Vinegar
Vinegar can be used in several ways: as a pesticide, as a preventative measure, or as an effective means of killing slugs by drowning them. You can apply vinegar directly onto the soil around your plants or onto dead leaves that have been infested with slugs. Vinegar will kill any slug it comes into contact with and can also help keep other pests away from your plants.
Vinegar is a great home remedy for slugs, and it’s also safe for pets and children. The best way to use vinegar as a slug killer is to mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1 gallon of water and spray it on your garden or lawn area. The acidic property of the vinegar will help kill the slugs. This solution can also be sprayed directly on slugs to kill them.
Use Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a great way to get rid of slugs. It’s a natural product that is made from the fossilized remains of diatoms, microscopic creatures that live on the ocean floor.
It’s a fine powder that comes in various forms, including granules and pellets. The granule form is the most common and easiest to use.
Diatomaceous earth is a natural, non-toxic substance that’s been used for centuries as a food preservative, pesticide, and insecticide. It works by dehydrating slugs just like salt, which causes them to die suddenly when they’re exposed to it.
You can sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your garden or lawn to kill slugs in their tracks. Apply it regularly, at least once every three months, and keep checking on it after you’ve applied it for the first time and see how it affects slug populations.
Diatomaceous earth works by cutting through the exoskeleton of the slug. The dead body then falls to the ground and disintegrates.
Beer trap
Beer traps are one of the most effective ways to get rid of slugs. The beer traps work by attracting the slug and then killing it in the beer pool. You can put any type of beer in your trap, but if you have hard water, try using cider or grape juice instead.
To set up your beer trap:
- Pour some beer into a wide-mouthed jar or glass and leave it out for at least 24 hours (preferably 48). This will attract slugs and other pests.
- Set up your trap near where you want to catch slugs: on top of a potted plant, under a porch roof beam, or anywhere else that provides cover for snails and slugs.
- Fill the jar with beer about 1/4 inch deep—this will make sure that when the slug enters its mouth, it won’t be able to escape because there isn’t enough room for it to climb out again.
Pick Out the Slugs
This is one of the simpler strategies for getting rid of slugs around you. This method is superb and more efficient when you have a small infestation. This is done by simply searching around your yard and picking them off your plants. Gather them into a bucket of soapy water or boiled water to kill them immediately. You can also put them in salt or vinegar solution which will also kill them immediately.
Plant Slug Reppelnet Plants
Some plants offer off a scent that sickens slugs, these plants also keep slugs away through their texture or taste. They could be referred to as herbal pesticides. Examples of such plants are:
Flower: fennel flower, astilbe, rosemary
Herbs: ginger, garlic, mints, fennel
Vegetables: bitter greens, lemon grass, and others.
They all have identical effects.
Use Nematodes
Another natural way to get rid of slugs is to use nematodes, this approach is awesome for an organic garden. Nematodes are a group of worms that exist as free-living organisms in terrestrial and aquatic habitats or as parasites of plants and animals. Nematodes that kill slugs are known as phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Ph).
These worms penetrate a slug’s body by using its respiratory opening and discharge bacteria, which then disintegrate the slugs from within.
Apply nematodes with water on wet, open soil, not on lawns. The soil should be moist to keep the nematodes alive and the soil temperature should be more than 5°C. Nematodes don’t survive below heat and intense frostiness. You can water the soil during dry periods. For you to get a magnificent result, make use of great numbers of nematodes and apply them persistently.
Release Slugs Enemies
There are domestic animals that would gladly devour slugs for you. These pests can help wipe out slugs from your garden. Many birds feed on slugs, consisting of domestic and wild birds, like starlings, blackbirds, chickens, and ducks.
Toads, frogs, and insects such as floor beetles, and roving beetles also eat slugs. These animals will naturally deter any slug infestation in your garden.
Purchase Slug-Repellent Chemicals
Slug-repellent chemicals are effective for controlling slugs. However, you must be careful when handling them. Chemicals are toxic, they must not be inhaled or allowed to touch the skin. Instructions on how to use the chemicals should be obeyed strictly.
Slugs are good for the garden
Slugs are one of the most common pests that gardeners have to contend with. They can be very destructive to your garden’s healthy roots and foliage, especially when they are left unchecked. Slugs will eat almost anything, including plants, fruits and vegetables, flowers, and herbs.
However, slugs aren’t all bad. If you keep them in check and encourage their natural predators to stay out of your garden then they can actually help keep your plants healthy while they feed on other insects that may be harming them like mites, aphids, and caterpillars.
Slugs also help control pest populations by eating insects that attack plants like aphids and scales which can cause damage to the plant itself or spread disease if left unchecked.
Best Slug Repellent
Bonide Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect killer is an effective insecticide that kills species like slugs, millipedes, fleas, bedbugs, grasshoppers, centipedes, and different crawling insects.
It can also be used for indoor and outdoor pest control in homes, barns, stables, and vegetable and flower gardens. Insects that come in contact with or ingest Diatomaceous Earth will die within forty-eight hours.
This Product can be utilized over the top whilst animals are present, on crops, and saved grain. However, observe directions on the label when making use of crops, livestock, and feed establishments.
APPLICATION METHODS: Apply the product at once as dust or mix it into a slurry if you intend to spray.
Safer Brand Slug Killer
This type of slug repellent can be used on lawns and in gardens and flowerbeds. Spread this bait on moistened soil where snails and slugs are present. The snails and slugs that eat the bait metabolize it, which triggers a dehydrating response and kills them.
For use with a variety of vegetables, fruits, and berries, which include tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, corn, blueberries, raspberries, peas, and peppers. Safer Brand Slug comes in a 2 Ib bag that can be sealed for later use.
APPLICATION METHOD: Apply to the soil around or near plants and areas to be protected. Apply while the ground is moist, in the early morning, late evening, or after rainfall. The soil should be moist, but with little or no standing water.
Corry’s Slug and Snail Killer
Corry’s Slug Snail Killer encompasses bait pellets that eliminate slugs. After ingesting the bait, slugs and snails crawl to secluded locations to die. People’s pets can enter the area immediately after the product is applied.
This product is wonderful at controlling slugs and snails typically discovered around homes. Corry’s Slug Snail Killer bait pellets can be used on lawns and ornamental fruit vegetable gardens. For fit-to-be-eaten gardens. This product also stays nice below moist and dry conditions
APPLICATION METHOD: Scatter the slug & snail bait pellets on the soil around or near the plants to be protected.
- Do not use kitchen utensils for food uses after pesticide use.
- Do not place it in piles.
- Reapply as the bait is consumed every two weeks.
Apply more heavily if the infestation is severe, if the area is heavily watered, or after long periods of heavy rain.
Monterey Sluggo Wildlife and Pet Safe Slug Killer
Monterey Sluggo is one of the best snail and slug control products designed to bait and poison these pests. It contains iron phosphate, which is safe to be used around pets or other wildlife. The product will remain active after rain or sprinkling.
It kills slugs by dehydrating them, which causes them to die of thirst. Monterey Sluggo is made with a unique formula that is proven to be effective in killing slugs in just three days. It’s perfect for gardens, as well as landscapes, lawns, and flower beds.
Exterminators Choice Slug and Snail Spray
It is a long-lasting control for slugs and snails in the yard, garden, and home. It can be applied inside and outside the home or directly to plants. This is made from cedar, pine, peppermint oils, and white pepper. This makes it safer than toxic pesticides yet disliked by slugs and snails.
APPLICATION METHOD: Apply easily and quickly with just a few simple sprays to begin protection.
How to get rid of slugs when you have a dog?
If you have slugs in your yard, it will be a difficult decision to use the chemicals which could affect your dog. For this reason, it is best to go with natural methods to eliminate slugs from your yard. Also, there are some dogs that will eat slugs, which makes them good predators when dey do.
Slugs are generally nocturnal, and most people don’t notice them until it’s too late. They can damage your plants, leaving behind brown spots, and holes in the leaves, they may even eat holes in the side of your house.
But there’s good news! If you keep your dog out off the leash, he can help to keep these invaders at bay by sniffing out their trails and scents and may eat them, making them a good slug predator
Slugs are also deterred by the scent of dogs, so if your dog is around, it’ll keep the slugs away. This makes using dogs a good way to keep slugs away from your yard.
How to get rid of slugs with coffee?
Coffee Grounds are a natural repellent for slugs, they generally get rid of slugs handily in a pretty big way. Slugs hate caffeine, a 1-2% caffeine solution can kill all slugs within two days. This means the higher the caffeine content the more effective the solution, which is quite significant.
Sprinkle the coffee on whatever spots you want to protect against the pests but be careful because it’s harmful to vegetation like tomatoes, clovers, or alfalfa. On the other hand, it can be used on acid-loving vegetation like roses, blueberries, azaleas, and carrots.
Vinegar Slug Control
Vinegar is a good way to control slugs, but it is advisable to go for other options such as using slugs pallets. The acidity of the vinegar will kill off any slug that it comes in contact with. It is also very easy to use and can be used as a perimeter or indoor treatment. Vinegar can be purchased at your local grocery store or drug store.
it works efficaciously for slug control and it only takes a few minutes to kill the slugs using vinegar. Vinegar dissolves the mucus that covers a slug within a few seconds of contact, breaks down the body, and eats through its slime.
All you have to do is to mix the same volume of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle, shake well and spray the content on slugs. If this technique fails, make use of pure vinegar but do not overspray to avoid damaging plants.
How to Stop Slugs from Climbing up Pots Plants
One of the fantastic techniques that can be employed to deter or discourage slugs from climbing up a pot plant is to erect blockages. Slugs love smooth and damp places and they climb pot plants because it is convenient. Why don’t you make their entry difficult? The first barrier could be proofing a copper ring around the pot.
Copper discourages slugs because the slime from the pest’s physique reacts with the copper, which creates a disagreeable electric-powered shock to slugs in container plants. Create rough grounds with beaten egg shells, coffee grounds, or plant repelling foliage, to prevent slugs from coming around the pot. You can also attach double-sided slimy tape or rub petroleum jelly liberally around the edge of the pots.
How to Get Rid of Slugs Permanently FAQs
Does salt kill slugs?
Salt is a very good deterrent to slugs. Once you have discovered a slug trail in certain places, locate the entry point and fill it with salt, this would prevent them from coming through the same spot.
You can also pour salt directly on slugs, it’s an effective strategy for eliminating slugs. Plants can however be affected by an excess of salt. It’s, therefore, best used when far away from valuable plants.
What do Slugs Hate Most?
Slugs hate harsh or dry habitats. You won’t find slugs in droughty, dehydrated, or dusty places. They avoid such locations as plague.
Additionally, there are specific plants slugs hate. These plants produce scents that are nerve-racking to slugs or develop bitter elements or poison that prevents slugs from eating them or getting closer.
Where do slugs Hide During the Day?
Slugs hide in dark and wet places during the day. They also stay underneath rocks or stones, fallen wood or logs, and low weeds.
Damp places or mulch are satisfied locations for slugs. Slugs bury themselves in the soil or find a moist, well-protected area.
Can Baking Soda Kill Slugs?
Baking soda is useful in many ways, aside from the domestic use of baking soda in the home, it further benefits you in the garden as a slug repellent.
Sprinkle baking soda on your soil to prevent ants, roaches, or slugs from getting into your garden. It also kills faster when slugs come in contact with the powder.