Slugs are perhaps the one garden pest that all gardeners, professional and amateur alike, dislike, nay loathe! They eat away at precious flowers, herbs and shrubs as you strive to make your garden as beautiful as you possibly can.
And here lies the problem – slugs have a role to play in the natural world, everything does, but as we have developed our gardens into extensions of our homes and look after them in much the same way with regards to tidiness and to some degree cleanliness, the slugs (and snails) have lost a lot of their natural food sources – dead and decaying garden matter such as leaves, fungus and other debris – and so turn to the only other food sources available to them; our plants.
The benefits of slugs
Despite their ugly appearance and the unattractive slime trails they leave behind (which are sometimes used to attract a mate), slugs do give some benefits to the average garden. They help to break down decaying plant matter, disperse seeds and they are a good food source for birds (I’ve never come across a gardener who doesn’t like to see birds hanging out in his or her garden) and other animals.
As I write this I’m starting to feel sorry for the poor little things, but when I pop into my garden later today and take stock of the damage they’ve done to my small herb garden I’m pretty certain my thoughts will not be on preservation and will more than likely turn to termination.
However, it’s worth remembering that they do have a role to play in the development of a garden and how it works with the wildlife it’s likely to attract. It’s also worth remembering that you will never, ever completely rid your garden of slugs, snails and other ‘unwanted’ creepy crawlies.
Learning to live them and using them to your advantage is the best compromise.
How to get rid of slugs (or learning to live with them)
Many people use chemicals, salt, beer or other methods to kill slugs. I prefer to use methods that are more natural and leave the killing (eating) to the birds and other slug eating animals such as toads, ground beetles, slow-worms and frogs.
Slugs as a food source
Toads
Toads love slugs. They are their worst enemy. And whilst you may think your garden is not home to a toad or two you might be pleasantly surprised (as my partner proved one day when I heard her loudly scream at the discovery of ‘something slimy’ when she doing some planting). If you have a pond in your garden you will almost certainly have toads, but you may never see them as toads are usually nocturnal. During the day they hide in trees, burrows or under leaves and their brown leathery skin makes them tough to spot.
If you don’t already have a pond in your garden consider adding one, if a pond is not your thing you can attract toads (and frogs) into your garden by leaving out water in flattish, low-lying containers so they have access.
Ground Beetle
Ground beetles also have an appetite for slugs, and they share the same habitat. To encourage ground beetles into your garden, and to make them want to stay, provide shelter for them by placing small pieces of wood and stone slabs close to plants and the darker areas of your garden where the slugs are likely to live.
Birds
Toads and ground beetles play an active part in controlling the slug population in a garden, but they do it away from your watching eye. That’s not the case with birds. I’ve often watched blackbirds hop about my garden until they find a slug and then watched them some more as they slice it up with their beak into edible portions. It’s actually very satisfying as I know the birds are getting fed and I have one less slug to worry about. It’s nature acting the way it’s meant to.
Encourage birds to visit your garden by leaving out food, water and providing shelter. Many garden centres sell bird food, and it’s fairly cheap. Alternatively, search online for bird food specialists and get it delivered to your door.
Stop that slug!
Over the years gardeners have tested loads of ways of stopping slugs from attacking precious plants. Here are a few of those tried, tested and proven to work (sometimes!) methods.
- Fill a small glass jar with lettuce leaves and place it into the soil – this will entice the slugs into the jar enabling you to catch them without afflicting pain. Dispose of the slugs outside the garden area.
- Place a small circle of eggshells around the plant or plants you want to protect – slugs won’t cross them.
- Comfrey placed around the edge of flower beds and under rocks will give slugs an alternative food source; they seem to prefer comfrey to a lot of plants.
- Purchase copper strips from your local garden centre and place them around the base of your pots; the copper will give the slugs a tiny electric shock. The strips have to be quite wide (6 – 8 inches) otherwise larger slugs will still be able to get across.
- Pick up slugs using a trowel or similar instrument and remove from your garden area.
Do you have any other suggestions for getting rid of slugs from a garden? We would love to hear them.
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