I have some slugs climbing my raised bed and my pots and I'm wondering if there's anything non toxic or corrosive and all that I can put on the rims or along the edge of the beds that can prevent them from climbing the edge or deter them?
I'm a very hands-off gardener, ie if the critters aren't damaging my plants beyond hope, I don't intervene because usually they'll self-regulate. If you're not actively losing plants, it might not be necessary to prevent slugs from coming in. Things to consider :
- There might already be a nice colony of slugs established within your beds, so anything done to keep them out will also keep them in. Place a piece of cardboard or a wooden plank on the dirt and check after a few days what critters are underneath (and put them elsewhere if you want). Slugs and snails love hiding there.
- Do you see striped or spotted slugs, AKA tiger slugs? Although they do munch on a few plants from time to time, they also love eating other slugs' eggs, powdery mildew spores and even chase other slugs from time to time. Leaving them in will do you more good than harm. I have a ton in my beds and even find lots of them sleeping in my lettuces, still I have more salad than I need, they don't seem to hinder my productivity.
- If your garden is enclosed, make sure your fence has a few spots open to let your friendly hedgehogs through, as they loooove eating slugs and snails. In order for your garden to self-regulate, you need to let the predators in as well! They also love nesting underneath leaves or log piles, so if possible you could encourage them by not cleaning everything off. Of course that's only if they're found in your area, but there might be other small mammals interested in gastropods.
Good luck! I'm very lucky now, but I used to live in a place where I couldn't have hedgehogs come in and birds were limited; nothing I did could keep the snails away! Now that my environment is much more balanced, I have better luck and almost don't do anything.
A slug chase sounds intense.
Copper tape
Why don't you want to kill them?
But seriously, I'd try adhesive copper tape. It's very thin and peels and sticks. Run it along the upper, outer edge of your bed. They can't cross it. You can also wrap the tape around plant stems. It also comes in non-adhesive.
I'm not really growing for survival, not gonna like die if the garden fails, and I can hardly fault an animal just looking for food. Slug has no concept of the work I put in, they just see a bit ol lettuce leaf and go to town, can't fault that
I'd never heard of the copper tape before, that's really neat! I'll have to see if I can get that to adhere to the metal or find something else that'll adhere it throughout the heat and rain, thanks for the tip
I'm also in the 'no slug murder' camp and I have had a lot of success in a few ways:
- Plant marigolds and keep them near the plants you want to save. They seem to b-line for them and leave everything else alone. Sacrificial planting is well worth it.
- I go out about an hour after sundown with a pair of tongs and pick off as many as possible. I stick them in a tin can with a saucer on top and a rock to keep them in. Then I go release them into the local woods in the morning. Bit of a faff and I know, but I'm very much against killing them outright.
- Copper tape. I know some people don't have much joy with this but I have 6 potted sunflowers in a row and the two with copper tape haven't been touched by the slugs. Worth a go.
Good luck!
Ps. Snails i tend to just chuck to the bottom of the garden. I have more patience with them 😅
I’ve seen a video where a low voltage battery has been used. It doesn’t seem to harm them they just get deterred when they try to cross the wires. Pretty much none of the other old wives tales work, egg shells, coffee grounds etc
I am currently trying diatomaceous earth for the same issue. I am spreading it at the base of affected plants to discourage the slugs from climbing the plant and eating the leaves. Unlike salt, which will harm plants and soil, this is a soil friendly slug deterrent.
I've heard de can kill lots of beneficial
Depends on where and when you apply. I stop applying once plants start flowering and I try to only apply to the ground around the plant base and not on the plant itself.
Not proven or anything, but maybe a ring of salt on the perimeter?
May be risky for your plants, but it's not toxic per se
Oh sorry I mean more non toxic for the slugs! I mean also not toxic for anything else too ofc and especially the plants in pots I think that salinity might accumulate faster than it'd get flushed out, but I'm looking more to repel then than kill them
A tray of beer? I heard this years ago.
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