The last thing you want is for all your hard work in the garden to be ruined by slugs. They can multiply rapidly and swiftly work their way through your precious plants and crops. Here are four ideas to help deter slugs from your garden.
Sandpaper and crushed eggshells
You don’t necessarily have to use these together, but the point of using objects like these is that it makes the ground too painful for the slug to cross. Lay them around plants you want to protect – eggshells have the added benefit of decomposing and adding to the nutrient quality of your soil.
Citrus rinds
If you’re not squeamish about having to pick up and remove slugs, citrus rinds are a good way of luring them to one spot. Upside-down grapefruit rinds are often suggested as the slugs will climb up inside.
Beer trap
Slugs are drawn to the yeast in beer, so putting some in a low-level container will draw them in. A waterproof container around one to three inches deep is ideal, placed near the plants you want to protect. Any beer will do – slugs aren’t fussy!
Seaweed
If you live by the sea or can manage to get your hands on some, seaweed acts as a great deterrent for slugs. Slugs hate salt, so layering seaweed several inches deep around your plants will help protect them. It will eventually wear down to about an inch thick, so it won’t be an eyesore amongst all your hard work.
These are just a few simple and easy ideas to keep slugs away from your plants, which will hopefully make a noticeable difference.
