The Great Slug & Snail Battle
I say the ‘great slug & snail battle’ because it really does feel like an almighty battle, especially this time of year.
With Autumn slowly approaching, slugs and snails are getting ready to hibernate. This means that they are looking to stock up on food for winter by eating our plants.
How do I protect my garden from snails and slugs?
At this time of year customers that call into the CountryLife Garden Centre always ask ‘how do I protect my plants from slugs and snails’. But often it is too late to do much because the customer is coming in after the fact. The key to good slug and snail control is getting in early and stopping them in their tracks before they even reach your plants.
Slug control tricks
A very popular method to control slugs and snails at the moment is by using a beer trap. These simply involve burying a shop bought trap in the ground and placing a small layer of beer in it.
The slugs and snails are attracted to the smell of beer and when they reach the trap, they fall in and drown. In the past I have even made my own beer traps for my garden using a saucer or jam jar and I found they worked well too.
Slug control products
Slug pellets are a well-known method of control that are known to work. However some gardeners do worry about using slug pellets, especially if they have pets or lots of birds in the garden.
For gardeners with these concerns I recommend looking at organic slug pellets such as Neudorff Sluggo that you can get in our CountryLife stores and online.
These pellets are just as affective at controlling slugs and snails but they don’t cause harm to anyone else. Even if a bird eats a slug that been killed by the organic pellets, the bird won’t be affected. Organic pellets are also a better option to consider if you have young kids playing out in your garden.
Compassionate Control of Slugs
While slugs can cause damage to plants they are scavengers and eat decaying vegetation so they are also an important part of your garden’s ecosystem.
Protecting your plants from slugs without killing the slugs and snails is possible using barrier products like copper tape, gels or wool pellets. Slug Gone is a natural product made from sheep’s wool that creates a surface mat that slugs don’t like to cross.
Tips and tricks for keeping snails out of the house
Some customers in the past few weeks have come in with an issue of snails getting in the backdoor. This could be because your flowerbed or shrubbery is very close to the door. Tidy up around the door and clear back any plants that may be housing the slugs and snails.
Place a strip of copper tape at the foot of your door and the slugs won’t travel over it. Copper irritates slugs and snails when they come in contact with it and thus won’t move over it making it a great barrier to prevent them coming into the house or onto your plants.
Get in Touch!
If you have any questions about slug or snail control contact us on social media- @CountryLifeGC (Links in footer). If you have a specific problem such as pest damage it’s really helpful to send us a picture- we’d love to help!
SHOP PRODUCTS
All products mentioned in the above blog can be bought on countrylife.ie or in you local CountryLife branch. To find your nearest store click here.
Slug Clear Ultra Pellets
Efficiently reduces the damage caused by slugs and snails, with one application lasting for up to 10 days outdoors.
Price: €6.95
Copper Slug Tape 4m
Copper Slug Tape is a popular, traditional method of deterring slugs and snails. The tape emits a tiny electrical charge when touched by slugs or snails causing them to turn away.
Price: €9.95
Sluggo Slug and Snail Killer 500g
This methaldehyde-free formulation is gentle to bees, hedgehogs, pets and the environment. The pellets are rain resistant and become even more attractive to slugs when they are damp.
Price: €7.95
