How to get rid of slugs & snails naturally:
- keep soil on the dry side - water in the morning
- hand pick them after a rain or early morning
- if all fails - use organic and pet safe slug and snail pellets
Is it possible to get rid of Slugs and Snails Permanently?
No!
Even if we managed to control our slugs and snails in our own yards, it will just leave more room for the neighbor's slugs and snails to move on over.
I too have tried everything from beer traps to slug bait.
I've gone back to just using organic slug bait, if they eat more than their share.
I also hunt for them after a rain, early morning and before dark with a bottle of a homemade concoction.
I use a spray bottle 3/4 filled with water, few drops of liquid soap and 1/4 cup of ammonium.
Then I just squirt the chlorophyll suckers whenever I find them.
Years ago when we moved to this house, I couldn't grow anything.
First I stopped buying annual flowers and then tolerated my Hostas to the end of the summer and then cut them all back. They looked sick and full of holes.
Now I have beautiful Hostas until the first frost.
What did I do to get rid of slugs and snails?
I know I couldn't get rid of my neighbor's slugs and snails, so I concentrated on fixing my yard.
I have clay soil, so I brought in a whole bunch of "grit" ( coarse sand ) and forked it all in my flower beds. I wanted to mulch my garden paths and then I thought that my neighbors slugs and snails would all move in too. So laid "pea gravel" instead.
Then I noticed that my Hostas were beautiful again and I couldn't find any slug or snail damage.
I do encourage the residence Toad to bring in their relatives.
Sometimes I do see a few snails, but I haven't seen any slugs.
What eats Slugs and Snails?
Toads, Frogs, Birds, Grubs, Snakes, Turtles and Ants.Plants that Slugs and Snails don't like?
Geraniums, Garlic and HydrangeasWhat will kill slugs and snails
Diatomaceous earth, Salt, Ammonia, Slug Bait, Hand pick them and drop them in water.What are some barriers for slugs and snails?
Barriers just slows them down and not kill them.Some people swear by them, but I think by now I have tried them all without any success and a waste of time.
Copper strips, eggshells, ashes and coffee grounds. Maybe it will work for you.
Beer Traps are a waste of money - Slugs are attracted to the yeast in the beer. So, why not just use Barbara's recipe on the video?
The best way to control slugs and snails is to create a diverse garden ecosystem and to encourage biological controls. Do you want to rent my "Resident Toad".
How to setup slug bait traps?
I get a disposal water bottle and cut it in half.Insert the top half of the water bottle - into the bottom half of the bottle.
Add slug and snail bait into the bottle and bury the bottle on its side. Only deep enough that the slugs and snails can get in and not get out. The slug bait that I have will go moldy if it gets wet. So, the water bottle helps keep the slug bait dry. I just hide the trap under a bush or where I see slug or snail damage. Hope this helps.
Homemade Slug Bait
Yeasty slug bait recipe from the Video1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of flour
1/2 teaspoon of dry yeast
Thank you Barbara!
slugs and snails
Joanna posted Message 1227 in Gardening BBSFebruary 09, 1999 at 09:18:49
Subject: Re: Not sure about slugs, Ugh!
All kidding aside --- slugs make me crazy because they eat all of my favorite plants. They devour my pansies and hostas. Having a very shady yard because the trees are large now I'm limited to what will grow. They DO NOT like impatiens! At least they have never gone near them in my yard. Yesterday I saw a TV program where they said to take Artemesia - dry it and then make tea with it. After it becomes cold take it and pour it in a circle around the plants. Never heard of this one so I'll put it on my list for this summer.
Bonny posted Message 1224 in Gardening BBS
Dated : February 08, 1999 at 04:34:06
Subject: Deter 'em or Devour 'em
#### Jodie, I'm getting in on this thread a bit late. I saw a gardening show last spring, where the gal was demoing how to put up copper to deter these critters. She also glued pennies (two rows) to clay pots. She said that copper creates an electrical shock in the snails, and advised making a lip at the top of the copper strip, which will stop the snails from flipping over it. She said the shock sometimes actually makes them flip up and over.
####Now, (hee hee) for what it is worth, I read an article in a magazine, years ago, about just harvesting those garden snails and turning them into Escargot. Of course you can't be feeding those tasty morsels, snail bait if you plan to make them into appetizers. To do this, you are supposed to .......... (hmmmmm maybe this belongs on the cooking bb!???) .... well anyhow, get a large plastic box with a tight fitting cover, and punch the lid full of small breathing holes. Put a layer of dampened corn meal in the bottom of the box. Then go out and gather up those little beasties, put them in the box and close the lid securely. Let them feast on the wet corn meal for a few days to "purge" them of any dirt,sand and plant material. This cleans them up. Now you can use your favorite recipe for cooking them. Basically you steam them just until done (too long and they turn tough). Serve with garlic and herb flavored drawn butter. Enjoy Bonny (Granny) #----------*