Do you know how to keep slugs away from your garden? Then you’re at the right place!
If you have a garden, you know how much time and effort you need to invest to make it look pretty and organized. But a tiny animal can turn your hard work into a nightmare. From munching your lettuce heads to wrecking your seedlings, these small creatures are more likely to leave a trail of destruction behind them.
While they’re active throughout the year, they’re especially troublesome in the spring when young plants provide a feast for them. According to professional gardeners, slugs are most active and noticeable in the warm, damp conditions of spring, and that’s because they thrive on fresh seedlings and new growth.
While you can’t completely keep slugs away, there are several easy methods to reduce their numbers and keep them out of your garden and home. I’ve put together a list of useful tips from personal gardeners, and I’m going to share everything with you. So, without further ado, here are a couple of effective ways to keep slugs away from your gorgeous garden:
But before we begin, let’s talk about the plants loved by these annoying creatures
Believe it or not, without snails and slugs, we’d be knee-deep in debris and waste. These tiny critters play a vital role in our ecosystem, and that’s because they munch through decaying plant matter and organic waste, helping to keep our environment clean and healthy. We might say they’re garden pests, but they’re also nature’s recyclers.
Slugs love succulent and soft foliage because they find the taste and texture delicious. So, if you have lettuce, hostas, dahlias, and sweet peas in your garden, make sure you offer them extra protection. Moreover, don’t forget that young seedlings and plants are also a feast for these small critters, so take care of them.
According to experts, brassica leaves can help keep slugs away. Here’s a helpful trick: if you have Brussels sprouts or any other brassicas growing in your garden, you can use their leaves to catch these annoying creatures. All you have to do is pull off a few leaves, place them in different spots around your garden, and secure them with a rock. Don’t forget to check under the leaves each morning because you’re more likely to find several slugs hiding in there.
Learn how to keep slugs away from your garden
1. Gravel or sand
You can keep slugs away by giving them a hard time reaching your plants. Grab some sand or gravel and create a rough area around the bushes they have their hungry eyes on. Professional gardeners say that gravel paths are very uncomfortable for slugs, and they won’t be tempted to cross them.
Even though they might sometimes get under hedges to escape the sharp surfaces, they won’t be tempted to go further. If you have young and tender plants, you can invest in horticultural grit to put around them. This tip is more likely to discourage these small creatures from feasting on your plants.
You can also put your plants in pots, place them on a bench, and surround the pot with a grit pot dressing. Test this method and see if it works. It might solve your slug issue for good.
…If you want to give this tip a try, here’s some decorative gravel that will help you keep slugs away from your garden! It’s colorful and pretty, and it also serves as fantastic decor.
2. Eggshells
Snails don’t like sharp edges, so turn this to your benefit. If you like your plants with upturned eggshells, you will discourage these small creatures from eating your bushes and leave your garden alone.
Have you ever tried this tip? You can line eggshells after you make a delicious omelet in the morning and not think of slugs anytime soon.
3. Attract slug predators
If your garden slug problem is out of control, try attracting natural predators to keep them at bay. Different predators, such as newts and frogs, are known for keeping the slug population under control, so if you want to get rid of these critters for good, make your garden a friendly place for predators. Other animals that feed on slugs are birds, such as ducks, especially the Indian Runners and Khaki Campbells.
4. Add repelling plants and companion planting
Did you know certain plants can naturally repel slugs? By planting these slug-deterrent plants alongside the ones slugs love, you can help protect your garden without much effort. This clever technique, known as companion planting, is an easy and eco-friendly way to keep those pesky slugs at bay. Give it a try!
Thanks to their strong scents and textured leaves, especially those that are leathery, glossy, or fuzzy, different aromatic plants, such as grasses, roses, hydrangeas, and ferns, can help you keep slugs away. These tiny critters don’t need a lot of time to damage your lovely borders, so planting the right plants can keep them at bay.
As professional gardeners say, winter is a perfect time to plan how you’ll manage slugs when spring arrives. They play a role in the ecosystem, and slug pellets can harm other beneficial garden creatures. If you think of adding repelling plants to your garden, try chives, garlic, Allium giganteum, fennel, mint, geraniums, and foxgloves.
5. Start mulching
You probably know how useful natural mulch is for your garden, but have you ever tried it yourself? If you want to keep slugs away from your garden, mulching is your go-to. If you surround your plants with a barrier of sharp mulch, you can be certain slugs won’t feast on your plants anymore.
You can ringfence your plants with bark, ash, and sharp grit; according to experts, most slugs won’t get beyond the barrier. You can also experiment with wood pellets, cat litter, and coffee grounds as mulch materials. However, keep in mind that although this can keep slugs off the surface, they burrow underground, so the problem won’t completely disappear.
6. Seaweed
Do you have a vacation planned anytime soon? If you go to the beach, make sure you get some seaweed, because it can help keep slugs away. Not only is this green thing incredible for your soil, but it is also a fantastic slug repellent. For best results, mulch it around the perimeter of your plant bed, but keep in mind that you shouldn’t place it in direct contact with your plant stems.
7. Newspaper
If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, I have another tip for you. Grab an old newspaper, damp it with a bit of water, and lay it down, especially if the weather’s hot. Slugs will be hot too, so they’re more likely to find shelter under it. Before you go to bed, collect the paper and the slugs and leave them outside your garden.
8. Hair
This might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s effective, so give it a try! If you want to keep slugs out of your garden, grab your hairbrush or your dog’s brush and take all the hair out. Use it as a protective barrier for your plants, and watch those slugs run away from your garden.
Do you know any other tips on how to keep slugs away from your garden? Share your tips with us! If you enjoyed reading this article and would love to check out something else from Gardeners and Plants, here’s a good one for you: Looking for Jaw-Dropping Balcony Garden Inspiration?
