Slug Control

It’s hard to believe my garden is already suffering slug damage, but alas it is so. The Hostas are always the first to show their battles scars but I know further chewed leaf damage is imminent if certain preventative measures are not taken. Here are a few of my favourite controls.

 

Beer traps:

What a way to go! The slugs are attracted by the fermentation gasses of beer. Ales, Stouts and Guinness are best. Place the traps all along the edge of the beds. Simply pour beer into a shallow, glass or plastic dish slugs crawl in, fall in and die.

 

Copper Pennies:

Hey great news! All the useless pennies have a second life as slug control. Like the Canadian mint slugs just don’t want to deal with copper and prefer not to cross it’s path. A dozen or so pennies stuck into the soil around a plant will form a wall of protection from slug invasion.

 

Slug Pellets:

I think these are a great final defense of your garden. Look for pellets that are undesirable or non-toxic to other beneficial bugs and birds. Essentially the slugs munch down on these pellets scattered around the roots of the plants you are defending and once ingested they begin to dry the slug out from the inside (ewww – much less pleasant than death by beer.)