The humble slug.

 

The Motorhoming Snail.

 

Much hated by us veg growers and yet they do so much for our planet. They just get a little confused by the wonderful veg you are all growing.

 

Take it as a compliment that your veg is better than their normal diet and you are a winner!

 

There are lots of ways of dealing with them and this is by no means an exhaustive list, but to help you out I thought I would list a few. (A note that the majority of methods involves killing these little creatures)

 

Begin by heading out after 10pm and search for the slugs/snails that are feeding on your plants. Now you can either snip them with a pair of scissors, throw them into water or jar to dispose of in your compost bin at home (they will crawl out though), or cover/drop them in salt. (Yuk, horrid death)

 

This is the greatest fear of all slugs (especially the ones I have talked to). Any salt will kill a slug or seriously maim it. So use it around containers or to wash decking or greenhouse floors with.

 

This is apparently due to an electrical tingle the slug gets when it moves across a copper strip and some gardeners have found it quite useful (as well as decorative) to use. You can buy it to put around raised beds but it is a cost to you that may/may not be successful.

 

Get the cheapest looking beer off the shelf at ASDA (and save somebody from drinking it as a refreshment) and rather fill up little containers with it. The yeast from the beer attracts the slug into the container and they quite literally drink themselves to oblivion as they then drown in the liquid. Note – This is a great way to add nutrients back to your soil afterwards by putting the slimy, smelly goo into your compost pile.

 

They are only effective if very dry. Once they begin to compact down they will lose their effectiveness and the moisture allows the slug to move across it again.

 

It should be spread around the base of the vegetable and the slugs apparently don’t like either the taste or the feels of the grounds as they pass over it.

 

Great to put around the base of your veg, it is too sharp for the slug to crawl over so they avoid it and the eggshell feeds the soil too.

 

Keeping a little pond for frogs also keeps your pests in check as well as the slugs. The little keepers of the water will pop out at night, feast on a few and then go to bed after a little sing-song. They are not super efficient but do help out around the place to pay their way.

 

I am not a fan really as they may contain things I do not want in my veg, but they work occasionally and many people like to use them to get started with.

 

1. It may seem easier to throw your slug into your next-door neighbours garden, but they will return from as far as 3 gardens away. Apart from being un-neighbourly you also have not stopped your problem.

 

2. Slugs like damp, dark places. If you are storing lots of wood, have pots, the undersides of fences, or tall shadowy leaves, they will rest in there to start the uprising at night. Keep your allotment free of friendly places for slugs to hide.

 

3. Use a combination of methods on your allotment as they all work partly in some way.

 

4. Slugs and snails travel quite fast so will travel from other places too, it is an ongoing quest to keep numbers down, it is never done, so do not lose heart.

 

They may have small victories by eating a cabbage BUT they will NOT win the WAR! (at least that is what goes on in my head!