Eliminating Slugs
The slimers are coming! Eggs laid by slugs and snails last autumn will hatch this spring. And they’re hungry to devour the leaves of your Hosta, Ligularia, Rheum, Symphytum and other tasty specimens. Now is the time to crush their advances.
Slugs and snails enjoy partying at night. They come out under the cover of darkness and chew holes in leaves. Hosta is one of their favorites. They can also act like paper shredders and wreck havoc on foliage with less substance. And don’t think they just hang out in shade. They love daylilies and other sun lovers too. (photo from photoforbeginners.com)
Another calling card of slugs and snails is the slimy mucus trail they leave behind. It’s almost like a sci-fi movie. Thankfully the slime is good for something. It seems the mucus is a natural anesthetic. If you lick a slug long enough, your tongue will go numb. Years ago some Native Americans would ‘swish’ slugs in their mouths when they had a toothache. We’re just not as creative anymore. Except for little boys……
If luck were on our side, deer mowing down our Hosta would vacuum up slugs too. I think deer just spit them out because they get caught in their teeth. So how can we naturally wage war on these slimers? Here are a couple of suggestions for getting the upper hand.
One of the best ways is to use a product with iron phosphate in it. Espoma’s Slug & Snail Control lures them in and after they snack – bingo –they cease feeding for good. It can be used on lawns, gardens, vegetables, fruits, berries and citrus. Iron phosphate granules won’t harm children, pets or wildlife.
Diatomaceous Earth can be cast on the ground around vulnerable plants. DE is the sharp-edged skeletal remains of microscopic creatures. Sharp is not an attribute well received by these soft-bodied creatures. Concern is one of the popular brands available. Please note that this Diatomaceous Earth is not the same as that used in swimming pools.
Beer traps are always a spirited solution for slugs over 21. Pour stale beer into bowls and set them into the ground with the lip of the bowl just at soil level. Slugs slip into the brine and drown. Of course this approach assumes that you drink beer and that you don’t ‘drink to the last drop’. Personally, I can’t stand sharing my beer with slugs. One of my patrons experienced an unusual ‘side effect’ of using beer. She said it did reduce the slug population but now squirrels were the problem. It turned out squirrels were knocking back the beer and stumbling around her yard drunk. I suggested nonalcoholic beer. (photo from gardenlady.org)
Flat boards are hangouts for slugs. The board offers protection and a cool retreat during the day and a launching point to slip out for their evening feed. Every few days pick up the board and remove the ‘treasures’ underneath. Another angle is using halved grapefruits or oranges. After enjoying your citrus, take the remains out to the garden and place the fruit face down on the soil near ‘attacked’ plants. The slugs and snails will be drawn to this nutritious snack. After a few days, you’ll have a bowl full of slimers than can be set out for foraging birds to enjoy.