Strategies for eliminating snails in your garden, as suggested by gardening and pest management professionals, encompassing compassionate methods
In the world of horticulture, slugs pose a significant threat to plants and crops, particularly during periods of wet weather. Rob Clarke, technical manager at Growing Success (Westland), warns that these pests can cause damage to leaves, stems, flowers, tubers, and bulbs.
However, there are several humane and eco-friendly methods to combat slugs. Manually removing them from the garden by going on a hunt at night and relocating them to another part of the garden, compost bin, or outdoors is one such method.
Another approach is to leverage the power of strong scents. Mint, peppermint, lavender, and sage plants are known to repel slugs due to their potent aromas.
Chemical-free barrier pellets are also available, providing a safe and effective solution that won't harm wildlife. These pellets can form an eco-friendly barrier around plants, deterring slugs without causing harm to beneficial organisms or the environment.
Slugs are attracted to moist environments, plants, organic matter, and shade. This makes them a common sight in gardens. To deter them, adding gritty materials like sand, gravel, ash, coffee grounds, and egg shells to the soil around plants can be beneficial. These rough surfaces are not appealing to slugs, making them less likely to infest your garden.
John Stewart from Pelsis, a sustainable pest prevention specialist, emphasizes that slugs can wreak havoc in any garden, particularly to hostas, bedding plants, and vegetables. He suggests using copper tape as a deterrent. Copper tape gives slugs and snails a small electrostatic shock when they touch it, discouraging them from crossing the barrier.
Copper tape can be wrapped around the rim of plant pots and garden edging to prevent slug and snail damage to plants. It's a simple, effective, and eco-friendly solution.
Beer traps are another popular method for controlling slug populations. These traps attract and drown slugs in containers like old ice cream tubs buried in the soil, or low bowls on patios and decking. The yeast and sugars in the beer lure the slugs in, providing a practical and humane solution for slug control.
Experts in various fields, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Dortmund, and Stuttgart, have been focusing on developing sustainable solutions for pest control. The ban on conventional slug pellets has led gardeners to seek safer, friendlier methods to deter slugs.
Slug nematodes are another option for reducing slug populations. These microscopic worms parasitize slugs by entering their bodies and causing fatal infections. While they are a natural solution, their presence is dependent on human choice, making them somewhat artificial in the grand scheme of nature.
Encouraging natural predators like hedgehogs, toads, frogs, and ground beetles can also help deter slugs. By creating a friendly environment for these creatures in the garden, you can allow them to control the slug population naturally.
In the UK, where the damp climate contributes to slugs thriving in gardens, these sustainable solutions offer a promising future for gardeners seeking to protect their plants without harming the environment.
