Best Way to Keep Slugs Out of Garden?

[Tsuzuko]

I have a small garden in the backyard neighboring a greenhouse. Slugs don't really manage to get into the greenhouse, but they are all over the garden. I have no problem scooping up a few slugs and setting them somewhere else, but they get to be a real problem, especially when it's humid and rainy.

I've tried some options already, even the beer trick, and none seem to be efficient enough to keep them all away. The beer surprisingly worked best as it did catch many slugs in a short amount of time, but they still make it into the garden. Does anyone have any relatively 'fool-proof' methods of keeping them away?

 

[Rosyrain]

Have you tried using salt? That is a good deterrent for slugs because it dries them out. I imagine that you could surround the edges of your garden with cayenne pepper as well. Most insects will not go near the stuff. I spread it around my front door last summer when I had issues with ants and they all stayed out.

 

[Tsuzuko]

Have you tried using salt? That is a good deterrent for slugs because it dries them out. I imagine that you could surround the edges of your garden with cayenne pepper as well. Most insects will not go near the stuff. I spread it around my front door last summer when I had issues with ants and they all stayed out.

I tried salt. It didn't work very well. I might not have used enough, though. I've never considered using cayenne pepper. Maybe I'll give that a shot. Thanks!

 

[Corzhens]

Salt is very effective but it is expensive and when it rains it would just be wasted. I don't know how my husband keeps away the slugs but I know that he picks the slugs, collecting it in a tin bucket to be crushed later. That crushed slugs will serve as fertilizer particularly for the lemon and sugar apple trees. When the slugs were collected, it takes months before we see some slugs again in the backyard garden.

 

[Tsuzuko]

Salt is very effective but it is expensive and when it rains it would just be wasted. I don't know how my husband keeps away the slugs but I know that he picks the slugs, collecting it in a tin bucket to be crushed later. That crushed slugs will serve as fertilizer particularly for the lemon and sugar apple trees. When the slugs were collected, it takes months before we see some slugs again in the backyard garden.

That was one of the major concerns I had with the salt; having it washed away by rain. Even merely putting it on wet ground can waste it. I tried pouring it on the edges of the garden as it's a raised garden made of wood, but it didn't work well and washed away. We also put crushed rock around the area to make it more difficult for slugs to get to it, but it still didn't deter them. I do pick the slugs out with a small shovel and toss them as far away as possible, but I don't think I'm up for crushing them.

 

[Beverly]

Last year i had terrible problem with slugs. I tried beer and they never touched it, but something was drinking it. Some one told me about putting an aluminum foil collar around the base of the plant. I put foil collars around the base of some seedlings and the slugs did not climb over them and the seedlings survived. Not the greatest solution, but it worked and i was desperate. The collars don't need to be tight around the base of the plant. Here is a photo of the collars. The collars gave me time to hunt down the offenders. I put them in a napkin and popped them in the freezer. Here is a photo of the collars around some dahlias.

 

[Greenhorn]

Copper - put copper pipe (small diameter) or copper tape. I use small diameter pipe, put 45's on for the corners and put it around whatever, no snails or slugs. They won't cross. I put some around some of the beds and containers I have. Works great for strawberries in containers,

 

[Beverly]

I really like the cooper pipe solution @Greenhorn. This means you can cover a larger area, not just plant by plant. Would this be effective for an area 8' (2.4m) x 8' (2.4m), for example or would you recommend smaller areas? That would be great. And it would look attractive in the garden as well, and bugs wouldn't eat it and rain shouldn't bother it.

 

[headfullofbees]

 

[Greenhorn]

One of my beds is almost 8' x 8' and the small diameter copper pipe around the perimeter works great for snails and slugs.

 

[Beverly]

@Greenhorn...Super! I mean really SuperDooper!!!

@headfullofbees i can probably find one of those online, that should take care of the wasps too.

 

[Beverly]

@Greenhorn...i was passing your copper pipe info to a friend in Indiana who is very interested in trying this in her garden as well. She said she has bendable copper tubing in the garage and wondered if this would work. I am personally not familiar with bendable copper tubing so i told her i would ask the expert. What do you think?

 

[Greenhorn]

If it's copper it should work. Bendable could be of benefit in some situations such as an irregular shaped bed.

 

[Beverly]

Thank you @Greenhorn

 

[Pat]

I like the cooper idea. Have to give it a try this spring.