Ask any gardener what are the worst pests they come across in the garden and it’s pretty much guaranteed that slugs will be up there. Let's explore some remedies to deal with them..

Slugs prevention

Slugs and snails need a very moist and water-rich habitat. They use a mucus veil to move around, which allows them to move quickly only on moist soils. In fact, they are most present in the wet, rainy months and tend to come out at dusk to nibble on young seedlings in our vegetable gardens. On muggy summer days they hide in the soil waiting for the rain to return. Consider these preventative measures:

 

  1. Ecofective Slug Stoppa Plant Spray 1L Pouch
    Ecofective Slug Stoppa Plant Spray 1L Pouch
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Natural Barriers: Creating a physical barrier that slugs and snails are reluctant to cross is an effective method for protecting plants. Physical barriers tend to be safe for plants, pets, and the environment. We have 2 options for you to choose from here at Vithal Garden. Ecofective Slug Stoppa Plant Spray 1L Pouch and ecofective Slug Defence Plant Spray 1L

 

Natural Predators: We could also turn to a "natural predator," such as hedgehogs, which have a taste for slugs and snails. However, it can be challenging to encourage them to establish a den in our garden. Providing a bowl of cat food may attract hedgehogs. Additionally, some wild birds, as well as geese and chickens, are also effective at hunting snails.

 

Lavender: The strong scent of lavender can repel Slugs and other pests.

 

  1. SPOT-ON Slug Killer 600G
    SPOT-ON Slug Killer 600G
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Treatment against Slugs

If barriers have not been created soon enough and slugs have already invaded our garden, we may need to resort to a culling solution to limit the number of slugs and snails. We like to use products that are approved for organic growing, like SPOT-ON Slug Killer 600G. This product uses ferric phosphate to protect ornamentals and edibles from slug and snail attack. It is ideal for seedlings, plants and edibles and is effective in all weather conditions.

Of course, it’s still a good idea to be preventative – slugs can get everywhere and seem to enjoy laying eggs in pots so we make a particular point of cleaning pots before we use them.

 

Planting where there are fewer places for slugs to hide helps protect your tender plants so raised beds offer better protection and giving small vegetable plants enough space around them helps, as does planting out in full sun when the soil is warm.