|
Slugs love moisture, and we’ve certainly had enough of that this season. Even gardeners who have never experienced slugs before are noticing them by the hundreds. They aren’t choosy either; they’ll attack veggies, perennials, shrubs and annuals. Controlling slugs is a two part process including prevention and treatment.
If you have not seen slugs as of yet then now is the time to prevent them. There are various deterrants – coffee grounds/eggshells, wood ashes, dolomite lime, sawdust/wood shavings – the slugs cannot stand the feel nor the alkalinity brought about by spreading a light layer of these products. Note that in the fall or early spring once perennials have been trimmed back, you can till dolomite lime into the soil in areas where you’ve had repeated slug damage – this high alkalinity will help deter them for next season.
If you start seeing holes in your plants, slugs have entered the garden. To control a slug infestation, you can choose from the following products:
Safer’s Slug and Snail Killer is very effective, without harming pets or birds.
Corry’s Slug and Snail Death – Like the title says, this bait is very effective. Note that this product is not safe for use around pets and birds.
Ammonia – We’ve had several calls from gardeners saying they’ve had some success with ammonia and water. Household ammonia at the correct dilution not only destroys slugs, but the solution actually provides a source of nitrogen which plants absorb through their foliage—"foliar feeding".
Mix 1 part household ammonia with 5 parts water. Note that one application isn’t enough; you should apply this solution about 3 days in a row for best results. |
|
