Slug deterrent

Wildlifelover

Evening,

just been out in the garden and picked off dozens of small slugs off most of my perennials! There’s plenty of nice new growth on my plants so to ensure they don’t get ruined, I’m looking at natural deterrents.

Does garlic wash work well? If so, is it safe to apply to all plants and what’s the best ‘recipe’? I have also read cat litter around plants works ok too - again, is that safe in terms of not affecting the plant?

going out each night isn’t viable for me so I’m looking for better solutions!

 Thanks.

B3

I can't see car litter working, especially once it becomes saturated

Wildlifelover

I did think that but it seems a used method.

Any thoughts on the garlic wash?

B3

To be honest, if you don't want to use chemicals, these are your options:
you keep your young plants inside or in pots where you can keep an eye on them until they're big enough to withstand attack

You can go out at night with a torch and a pair of scissors (salt is a chemical, and cruel in my opinion)

Or you can do what I do and that is grow things that slugs don't eat.

msqingxiao

Use some cloche like this? https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-bell-cloche-large/p/0504356

I made some by cutting off the bottom of large coke bottles, and it worked ok, as long as you bother/remember to put them on the plants in the evenings. If it's windy you'll need something to weigh them down though. Don't think they'll be able to withstand the upcoming Storm Eunice tomorrow...

robairdmacraignil

I have found that broken up egg shells can make some difference to the amount of attacks from slugs on plants they tend to damage by just spreading the broken shells around the base of the plant. Some people try trapping them in beer traps and under things they can use to shelter during the day but this still requires collecting and disposing of them. There are elements of wildlife that feed on slugs and snails like, frogs, hedge hogs, some birds and other elements that will eat their eggs like ground beetles and centipedes so encouraging any of these to live in your garden may help. The suggestions to keep plants away from the slugs when small and vulnerable and growing plants that tolerate slugs are also good strategies.

Happy gardening!

Fire

Does garlic wash work well?

I have seen it recommended for individual plants like hostas. I have not tried it myself. Though I had slugs eating my garlic plants and allium.

I believe that @Loxley has used it with success.

Wildlifelover

Thanks for all the views. Are the pellets that contain ferric phosphate reliable at ridding slugs/snails?

Posy

In my experience, the only really effective way of solving this problem is the physical removal of the slugs. It is just not possible to dig up all your plants and keep them safe and none of the deterrents work, even the blue pellets. There are very few plants which are not attractive to slugs.
Picking them off is a tedious business and unpleasant, too, but it works.

TheGreenMan

I’ve tried it all. Even silica cat litter in summer. None of it works for me. 

Scissors, head torch, late night hunts. 

Makes me feel queasy as hell but it seems to be the only way. 

Fairygirl

You could end up never doing anything else if you become obsessed with deterring slugs. None of the so called deterrents work across the board.
The small ones are the worst, but nice and easy to squish underfoot. 

Easier to plant things that are less vulnerable to them, and then you don't have so plants that you need to attend to.