Kirsten Brichler, Adjunct Faculty, Southwest Minnesota State University; and Douglas Pfeiffer, Marshall MN Professor of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA
Most people who have grown strawberries or vegetables in the Southeast have had their experiences with slugs. These pests damage low-growing vegetable tissue and can be difficult to control. Here we will present some general information on this group, whose biological details are poorly known to most.
Slugs can be the bane of any strawberry grower’s existence These slimy pests feast on ripening strawberries, riddling them with holes and ruining the crop With their love of sweet fruits and moist environments, strawberry patches seem irresistible to slugs.
Fortunately, there are many organic techniques you can use to deter slugs and protect your strawberries. By taking a multi-pronged approach, incorporating exclusion, traps, and natural predators, you can enjoy a bountiful strawberry harvest free of slug damage.
Why Slugs Love Strawberries
Slugs are strongly attracted to strawberries for a few key reasons
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Sweet flavor – Ripe strawberries contain high amounts of sugars that slugs find irresistible. Other ripe fruits also attract slugs.
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Low-growing – Strawberry plants grow close to the ground making the fruits easy for slugs to access.
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Moist habitat – Strawberries need consistently moist soil, which creates an ideal slug habitat. Frequent watering maintains this moist environment that slugs thrive in.
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Ethylene – The ethylene gas produced by ripening strawberries helps draw in slugs They use this gas to locate fruits
With such a tempting target, it’s no wonder slugs flock to strawberry patches. But there are many effective organic methods to stop them.
10 Organic Ways to Protect Your Strawberries From Slugs
Here are 10 organic strategies to keep slugs away from your strawberries:
1. Remove Hiding Spots
Eliminate weed overgrowth, mulch, and garden debris near your strawberries. This denies slugs moist places to hide during the day when they are not active.
2. Apply Diatomaceous Earth
Spread a 3-4 inch ring of diatomaceous earth around each strawberry plant. The sharp particles of this abrasive powder will kill slugs that try to cross this barrier.
3. Use Slug Traps
Bury traps containing beer or yeast mixture near (but not touching) your strawberry plants. Slugs attracted to the traps will drown once inside.
4. Attract Slugs with Citrus Peels
Place citrus peels (lemon, lime, orange) in your garden away from your strawberries. Slugs will hide inside the peels, allowing for easy daily removal.
5. Apply Slug-Killing Bait
Use pet and wildlife-safe baits like Sluggo or iron phosphate around the perimeter of your strawberry patch to kill slugs that cross into the area. Reapply after heavy rain.
6. Switch to Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to plant roots while keeping fruits and leaves above ground drier than sprinklers. Drier plants are less appealing to slugs.
7. Invite Natural Predators
Avoid pesticides that would harm slug predators like garter snakes, toads, and ground beetles. Provide habitat like a small pond to attract these animals to your garden.
8. Hand Pick Slugs
Go slug hunting at night with a flashlight and gloves. Collect any slugs you find and toss them into a bucket of soapy water or relocate far away.
9. Use Copper Barriers
Slugs dislike crossing copper. Wrap strips of copper securely around raised bed edges or container planters to block slugs from accessing your plants.
10. Apply Fresh Spring Compost Mulch
Spread fresh compost around plants in early spring to deter weeds and slugs before fruits appear. Switch to gravel mulch once fruits start ripening.
When to Apply Slug Defenses
Be proactive with your slug control measures:
- Early spring – Remove debris, set out traps, apply diatomaceous earth
- Late spring – Switch to drip irrigation, apply iron phosphate bait, spread compost mulch
- Early summer – Check traps daily, hand pick slugs at night, maintain barriers
Slugs are most active on cloudy, damp days and at night when you’ll see them emerging. Maintain your defenses consistently for effective season-long slug protection.
With persistent organic pest management, you can stop slugs from destroying your strawberry harvest. Use a combination of exclusion, traps, and natural predators. Keep plants dry and make your garden less hospitable to slugs. Diatomaceous earth and copper barriers also provide protection.
Deal with slugs proactively in spring before fruits appear. Remain diligent in checking traps and barriers. Hand pick any slugs you spot at night. With a multi-pronged slug control strategy, you can reap pounds of flawless, juicy strawberries.
What do they do?
Feeding injury by slugs is created when the slug rasps a sandpapery tongue-like organ (the radula) on the surface of a plant. This rasping will leave rough holes in fruits and holes or “window-pane” damage on the leaves of plants (Fig. 5). Small seedlings may be eaten below their growing point and killed, and fruits with slug feeding are unmarketable. Feeding injury also leaves a point of invasion for other pests and diseases.
Slugs can be significant pests of fruit crops like strawberries. Low growing plants like strawberries create a shady, moist habitat that protects slugs from sunlight and predators. Soft fruits, especially strawberries, growing close to the ground, provide an ideal food source for slugs that is easily accessed under the protection of the plant’s leaves.
What is a slug?
Slugs are land-dwelling mollusks that are closely related to snails. The main distinguishing feature that sets slugs apart from snails is their lack of a shell. Slugs are soft-bodied, flexible, and have no legs. They have 2 pairs of feelers on their head – the top pair has eyes, while the lower pair is used for smelling. There is a thickened, saddle-like structure on the dorsal surface called the mantle (Fig. 1); along the edges of the mantle are the genital openings, anus and respiratory openings. They are hermaphroditic animals, meaning that each individual will have male and female organs. This allows nearly any two individuals that meet to be able to mate and reproduce. Simultaneous reciprocal mating is common (Fig. 2). Mated slugs will then lay clutches of eggs that hatch into the next generation (Fig. 3a,b). While the eggs in the s are exposed, in nature, these are laid under stones or other protected areas.
Due to their soft bodies and lack of a protective shell, slugs are highly susceptible to drying out and dying in hot and dry conditions. They are most active during cool and wet times, such as during rainfall and night. Slugs will seek shelter under plant debris and in earthworm burrows during sunny and dry conditions.
Multiple species of slugs are common pests to various food crops and ornamental plants. These species of slugs are considered generalists and will eat a wide variety of plants and fungi. Common species include the gray garden slug (Deroceras reticulatum; Fig. 2), the marsh slug (Deroceras leave; Fig. 4), the dusky slug (Arion subfuscus), and the garden slug (Arion hortensis; Fig. 1). While the exact timing of their life cycles and adult size may differ among these species, they will all consume a variety of plant species.
How To Protect Your Strawberries From Slugs And Snails
FAQ
How do you keep slugs off your strawberries?
Watering Style: Since slug are attracted to moist soil I stopped hand-watering and put the strawberry plants on drip (which they love!). This also helps when using the Diatomaceous Earth (DE) because it doesn’t wash away like it would if hand-watering.
What is the best slug repellent?
… such as Astrantia, Lady’s Mantle, Dianthus, Foxglove, Geranium, Peony, Lavender, Phlox, Alyssum and Lobelia, African violet, Strawberry Begonia and Gloxinia …
What is the best way to protect strawberries?
Strawberry covers are arguably the simplest way of protecting your strawberry plants and may be the best option if you have a small patch that you are working …Mar 14, 2023
What can I put on my strawberry plants to keep bugs away?
Do coffee grounds keep slugs away from strawberries?
It has been confirmed by the USDA that coffee grounds can keep slugs away from your strawberries. Coffee grounds and solutions that contain caffeine do work as an effective deterrent that drives slugs away from strawberry crops. Are Slugs Bad for Strawberry Plants?
Do strawberries attract slugs?
If you have strawberries in your garden, it’s very likely they’ll attract slugs. Slugs are drawn to strawberries due to the fruit’s high sugar content. There are other fruits that also attract slugs such as citrus. Slugs are also attracted to ethylene gas which is a byproduct of most ripening fruits.
How do you protect strawberries from slugs?
The most reliable and effective ways to protect strawberries from slugs are: Spread a ring of diatomaceous earth around your strawberry plants. Make a slug trap out of an old container with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of beer poured into it. Use organic methods of slug control, such as organic slug pellets.
Are slugs bad for strawberry plants?
Slugs are a significant threat to strawberry plants, causing damage that can result in reduced yields and lower fruit quality. These slimy pests feed on the leaves, flowers, and fruit of strawberry plants, leaving behind holes and tears that can be devastating to the plant’s health.
Do organic slug deterrents work in Strawberry Gardens?
Organic slug deterrents are a popular choice for gardeners seeking effective and environmentally friendly solutions. These natural substances can help repel or kill slugs without causing harm to beneficial organisms. Several options are available for organic slug control in strawberry gardens:
Do physical barriers protect strawberries from slugs?
By using physical barriers, gardeners can effectively protect their strawberry plants from slugs and enjoy a bountiful harvest. When combined with other methods, such as organic deterrents and companion planting, physical barriers can be a highly effective way to keep slugs at bay.