How to get rid of slugs organically

You don't need to use nasty toxic chemicals to rid your garden of slugs. Here are some natural methods that work!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. A great way to stop slugs from eating your prize plants is to use barriers. Slugs are soft-bodied and do not like to get scratched up. Surround susceptible plants with rinsed, crushed eggshells - slugs will not crawl over them, and they are good for the soil. Soot or ashes are an option. You could also use DE (diatomaceous earth, which is ground up marine fossils, available at good garden centers or by mail. The downside to this is you need to replenish after heavy rains. Another barrier is a 4 inch copper strip placed in a ring around the base of the plant. Slugs get a "shock" from the copper. You may also surround young seedlings with plastic liter bottles with ends cut off.

2. Trapping is another method of slug control. The old tried and true beer trap is somewhat effective: place beer in a shallow dish and bury at soil level where slugs are active. Another effective trap is to leave the rind of 1/2 a grapefruit, orange, or small melon out in a moist spot overnight. During the day when slugs hide, pick up the rind and dispose of all the slugs underneath. (pick 'em up and squish, scoop into bucket of soapy water, or pour salt on them)You can also just lay down small wooden boards with a similar effect. This method also traps earwigs.

3. My favorite way is to just go out when slugs are likely to be active: at night; on cool, overcast days; during a light drizzle, or any time when garden is moist and shady. Poke around under mulch, at the base of plants, and of course ON your plants. Pick up the slugs and drop into a jar of soapy water or squish them. (the revenge can be sweet!) Along the same vein, you can pay your kids five or ten cents for every slug they capture - this makes it a fun challenge!

4. One last organic method of control is to encourage predators. Toads, garter snakes, hedgehogs, and some birds love to eat slugs. Having these creatures in you yard will greatly reduce your slug population. Using chemicals in your garden will repel these and other beneficial animals.
   
   Trying these methods in combination will keep the slugs in check without resorting to harmful pesticides.

Tips & Warnings

• Slugs actually help decompose organic matter in the soil. It is not necessary to completely rid the garden of them, just keep their numbers down and protect your plants.

[GreenGardenChic]

on 7/1/2008 Nice! I'm also a nighttime slug-hunter.