Maintaining a beautiful garden can be a challenge, especially when it comes to dealing with pesky slugs. These slimy critters can wreak havoc on plants, leaving holes and decimating entire gardens. Fortunately, there are a number of options available for controlling slugs in the garden. There isn’t much I haven’t tried in the quest to get my plants over the hump of early summer as they try to establish themselves and slugs are at their most destructive. In this article, we’ll explore my ‘favourite’ options, each with its own pros and cons, so that you can choose the best approach for your needs.
Option 1: Improve the Environment
By planting in pots and using copper tape, you can create a barrier that slugs find difficult to cross. This option is a great choice for those who want to avoid using chemicals and prefer a more natural approach. However, this option can be more labor-intensive as you’ll need to plant in containers and be careful to keep slugs away from the plants.
Pros:
- Natural approach
- Can be aesthetically pleasing
- Long-term solution
Cons:
- More labour-intensive
- Limited space for plants
Option 2: Homemade Garlic Water Spray
Garlic water spray is a natural slug repellent that is easy to make at home. Simply mix crushed garlic with water and spray on the plants. This option is an excellent choice for those who want to avoid chemicals and prefer a natural approach. It is very easy – just chuck a few cloves of crushed garlic in a spray bottle of water and top up the water as needed. However, this option may not be as effective as other options and may need to be reapplied frequently – no joke when it seems to rain about 120% of the time!!
Pros:
- Natural approach
- Easy to make at home
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- May need to be reapplied frequently
- Smelly – like VERY smelly. So really only useful away from sitting areas.
Option 3: High-Walled Box for Seedling Trays
By using a high-walled box for seedling trays, you can protect young plants from slugs while they are hardening off. This option is a great choice for those who want to protect seedlings from slugs without using chemicals. However, this option may not be practical for larger plants or those that are already in the ground.
Pros:
- Protects seedlings from slugs
- Natural approach
- Easy to set up
Cons:
- May not be practical for larger plants
- Limited space for plants
Option 4: Grit or Copper Bands
By using a ring of grit or copper bands around individual plants, you can create a barrier that slugs find difficult to cross. This option is a great choice for those who want to protect individual plants without using chemicals. However, this option may not be as effective for larger areas or for plants that are in the ground.
Pros:
- Protects individual plants from slugs
- Natural approach
- Easy to set up
Cons:
- May not be effective for larger areas
- Limited space for plants
Option 5: Clear Plastic Containers
By covering individual plants with clear plastic containers, such as empty grape punnets, you can protect them from slugs. This option is a great choice for those who want to protect individual plants without using chemicals. However, this option may not be practical for larger plants or those that are already in the ground.
Pros:
- Protects individual plants from slugs
- Natural approach
- Easy to set up
Cons:
- May not be practical for larger plants
- Limited space for plants
Option 6: Wait to Plant Young Plants in the Ground
By holding off on planting young plants in the ground until they are more established, you can reduce the risk of them being devoured by slugs. This option is a great choice for those who want to avoid using chemicals and prefer a more natural approach. However, it may require some patience as you’ll need to wait for the plants to become established before planting them in the ground and you need somewhere suitable to hold them as they develop.
Pros:
- Natural approach
- Older plants can sustain some nibbling
- Can be a long-term solution
Cons:
- Requires patience
- Limited space for plants while they are being established
Option 7: Handpicking Slugs Off Plants
By handpicking slugs off plants, you can physically remove them from your garden without using any chemicals. This option is a great choice for those who want to avoid using chemicals and prefer a more natural approach. However, it can be time-consuming and may require frequent monitoring of your garden to ensure that slugs are not causing damage to your plants.
Pros:
- Natural approach
- No chemicals required
- Can be effective in small gardens
- Can be very effective in the longer run
Cons:
- Time-consuming
- Requires frequent monitoring
- May not be practical in larger gardens
- May require a strong stomach!!
Additionally, it is important to note that handpicking slugs off plants is most effective in the evening when slugs are most active and in wet or damp conditions when they are more likely to come out of hiding. When handpicking slugs, it’s also important to take them more than 50 meters away from your garden, as slugs can travel further distances than you may expect.
Option 8: Choosing the Right Plants to Start With
Of all the advice I’m offering here, this is the one that I take most heed of myself. Not every plant is a slug magnet and you can make your life a lot easier by planting more of the plants they are not so keen on. They tend to turn their nose up at different scents and textured leaves. There’s a list of more than 50 of these plants in my Get Started in Gardening Pack (as well as a printable Garden Planner and lots more!). Check it out here.
For busy women, controlling slugs in the garden can be a challenge. By using one of the five options we’ve explored here, you can protect your plants without having to spend all your time in the garden. Whether you choose a natural approach, like using pots and copper tape or homemade garlic water spray, or a more targeted approach, like using high-walled boxes or clear plastic containers, taking some action will definitely be better than leaving the slugs to it and you the bit of effort now will pay off in the longer run.
And while you may not be in the mood to think in any way kindly of these guys after they have decimated a beloved hosta or whatever, you do have to admire that these creatures that have so little going for them, move so slowly and look as if they have little chance of accomplishing anything, get so much damage done! In one of my more philosophical moods, I watched this little guy before I rehomed him in the field next door. There is probably a lesson to be learned about perseverence or something but could they not just eat the weeds and everyone would be happy?!