With spring on its way, it’s important gardeners get a head start on how to best protect their gardens from slug infestations.
Here are a few ways to get help gardeners to get rid of slugs naturally.
Beer Traps
If a small infestation is bothering your garden, there are a few things that can be done, like creating beer traps. According to this article, slugs are attracted to the smell of beer.
To make a trap for the slugs, place a plastic pot into the soil around where the infestation is; fill the container about halfway with beer; watch as the slugs go for the beer instead of your precious plants.
It is important to note that this trap will need some additional maintenance. Each morning, the dead slugs should be removed from the container, and, whenever the container starts getting low on beer, it should be replenished.
Coffee and Egg Shells
Rather than sending these two ingredients to the compost, try using them as a natural slug deterrent!
Creating a mix of coffee grounds and eggshells is another great way to deter slugs from the garden. The smell of the coffee grounds is a natural repellent while the eggshells will cut any slugs that dare crawl across them.
To use the mixture, be sure to sprinkle it around the plants you’re looking to protect. And don’t worry, these ingredients will both decompose and help feed the very plants you’re working to protect.
Copper Fence
If every other method fails, copper tubing, flashing, or tape is a great way to ensure your plants are protected. Slugs will not cross the copper; the metal reacts with the slime slugs exude, causing them to get shocked whenever they try to cross.
Although expensive, this method doesn’t fail. The only catch is that any slugs within the garden bed will be unable to get out. Because of this, this method is best used with another trap to ensure the slugs are removed.
Slugs can cause extensive damage to a garden, but with these natural methods, your garden is sure to be slug-free in no time!
