Gardeners have been offered nine eco-friendly tips for deterring slimy slugs and snails from their backyards this autumn. Outdoors experts at BillyOh.com have revealed the best ways to get rid of pesky gastropods without the use of pesticides that harm beneficial creatures and pollute our waterways.
Slugs lay eggs nearly all year round, but most prolifically in late summer and early autumn. And when autumn leaves start to fall, slugs and snails will have lots of new hiding places to choose from. These gastropods are a nuisance to gardeners worldwide, but there are plenty of easy ways to keep your vegetable and ornamental crops safe.
A spokesperson for BillyOh.com said: “Slugs and snails probably cause the most devastation to gardens – they’ll think nothing of munching through your prettiest plants and ruining any vegetables you’ve lovingly grown. And whilst killing them with pesticides might be effective, it also has a terrible impact on other wildlife, your pets and the environment in general.
“Ideally, we’d all have the time to go around plucking each one by hand, but this can take a while – plus it’s pretty gross. Instead, we’ve suggested nine alternative methods that will help you get rid of any slugs and snails in the garden, and then stop others from returning.”
Slugs can be a major nuisance in the garden, especially for plants like autumn sage. These slimy creatures come out at night to feast on the leaves and stems of plants, leaving behind a trail of damage. Autumn sage, with its tender foliage, is a prime target for slugs. If left uncontrolled, they can quickly defoliate and even kill an autumn sage plant.
Fortunately, there are a number of effective and organic methods to get rid of slugs on your autumn sage plants. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore several approaches to controlling slugs, from manual removal to using natural deterrents.
Identifying Slug Damage on Autumn Sage
Before jumping into slug control methods, it’s important to be able to identify slug damage on your autumn sage plant. Here’s what to look for:
- Irregular holes in leaves, like chunks taken out of them
- Stems that appear shredded or eaten away
- Silver slime trails on leaves and surrounding soil
- Plants appearing wilted or weakened
Take a walk through your garden in the early morning after a wet night—this is when slug damage is easiest to spot. Pay special attention to the lowest and newest growth on your autumn sage, as slugs tend to target the most tender foliage.
Handpicking Slugs
Handpicking slugs is the most effective and low impact way to control slugs and snails This is best done at night or early morning and must be done regularly if it is to have much effect, You will soon learn to find their hiding places,
To handpick
- Take a flashlight and bucket of salty water out to the garden after dark
- Check under boards, rocks, pots, and in protected areas around plants
- Pick up any slugs and drop them into the salty water to kill them
- Dispose of slug bodies away from the garden in the morning
While tedious, handpicking can significantly reduce slug populations with little effort or cost. It also avoids spreading potentially harmful chemicals in the garden.
Beer Traps
For a passive way to catch slugs, use beer traps. The yeasty scent of beer attracts slugs, leading them to fall into and drown in traps.
To make a beer trap:
- Take a shallow container like a yogurt tub and bury it up to the rim near plants
- Fill it halfway with cheap beer
- Check traps daily, dispose of dead slugs, and refill with fresh beer
Traps are most effective placed along the edges of garden beds. Avoid placing them right next to coveted plants, as it may attract more slugs to that area.
Copper Barrier
Copper foil or tape acts as a barrier that slugs won’t cross. The metal produces a small electrical charge when touched by the slug’s mucus, which deters them.
To use copper:
- Cut copper tape into strips or rings
- Place tape around pot rims or plant bases, burying edges in soil
- Make complete rings around susceptible plants
- Refresh copper periodically as moisture reduces effectiveness
This is an ideal solution for protecting container plants and gardens with high slug populations.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is an organic pest control made from crushed fossils. It kills slugs by absorbing the lipids from their bodies, causing dehydration and death.
To apply DE:
- Sprinkle a band around pots and garden beds, or on paths
- Reapply after rain or irrigation
- Use food-grade DE for safety around pets and children
DE is most effective used alongside other methods like handpicking. Be sure to reapply it regularly.
Organic Slug Baits
Iron phosphate and spinosad baits lure slugs in for a fatal snack. Unlike traditional slug baits, these organic options are safe for kids, pets, birds, pollinators, and the environment.
When using organic baits:
- Scatter pellets along garden edges and around susceptible plants
- Follow package directions closely
- Reapply as directed after rainfall or watering
- Store baits securely away from children and pets
Use baits sparingly, as overuse can harm populations of beneficial insects over time.
Create Slug-Resistant Gardens
The best defense is a good offense. Selecting naturally slug-resistant plants can reduce the need for control methods. Some options slugs tend to avoid include:
- Plants with fuzzy, hairy leaves like lamb’s ear or sage
- Herbs like lavender, rosemary, thyme
- Plants with thick waxy leaves such as sedum
- Ornamental grasses and iris with stiff foliage
Also avoid over-fertilizing, overwatering, or dense planting, as succulent growth attracts slugs. A diverse garden ecosystem will support helpful predators too.
Prevention Is Key
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of slugs. Here are some tips to avoid severe infestations:
- Eliminate slug hiding spots like piles of debris
- Remove slug eggs when found
- Encourage natural predators like birds and toads
- Check for slugs daily and handpick
- Maintain optimal plant health and vigor
Catching slug problems early before populations explode is critical to protect autumn sage. Be vigilant and proactive!
Be Patient and Persistent
Controlling slugs organically requires patience and persistence. No single method will provide a quick fix. But combining several techniques and sticking with them can keep slug damage on your autumn sage to a minimum. Always opt for the least toxic solutions first like trapping and handpicking.
With a multi-pronged approach, your autumn sage will continue gracing your garden with beauty all season long. Don’t let a few slimy slugs get the best of your plants!
1 Feed them citrus peels
Slugs love citrus, so don’t throw away your orange or lemon rinds. Instead put them in your garden to bait the slugs and snails away from your plants.
In the morning, check your peels to see if any slugs or snails are on them, and remove these from your garden. Refresh with new peels as appropriate to continue your decoy operation.
2 Deter with rough surfaces
Slugs and snails hate crawling over scratchy surfaces, so try surrounding the stems of your plants with crushed eggshells or insert a sand-paper collar around the stem. Sprinkling sand around edges would work, too. This won’t kill them, but it might slow them down and keep them off your plants.
Strangely enough, research shows that slugs and snails cannot tolerate crawling on copper surfaces, which gives them a mild electrical shock when they crawl over it. So, put copper bands around your flowerpots or beds to deter them from crawling up and onto your plants. Pennies will work just as well.
Planting sage or mint around your garden plants will help deter slugs and snails. Other herbs and plants which may deter these critters include garlic, fennel, and even geraniums.
Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a pump spray bottle, go out into your garden in the evening (the hours that snails and slugs are usually active) and spray any you see. As vinegar is mildly acidic, it will kill any snails or slugs it touches. However, vinegar is toxic to vegetation, so only spray snails or slugs that haven’t yet reached your plants.
Alternatively, you can mix equal parts ammonia and water and spray snails and slugs as described above.
Slugs and snails cannot tolerate caffeine, so you can deter them by placing coffee grounds around your plants.
Slug Control In Garden – How To Get Rid Of Slugs
FAQ
How do you kill slugs but not plants?
Do slugs eat sage leaves?
What can I spray on my plants to keep slugs away?
How do you get rid of slugs on a sage plant?
To control slugs and snails, create physical barriers around the sage plant using copper tape or diatomaceous earth. You can also manually remove them from the plant by handpicking them in the evening when they are most active. Beer traps can also be effective in attracting and drowning these pests.
Do slugs eat sage plants?
Slugs and snails are common pests in gardens and can also affect sage plants. They feed on the leaves, leaving irregular holes and ragged edges. These pests are more active during wet and damp conditions. To control slugs and snails, create physical barriers around the sage plant using copper tape or diatomaceous earth.
How do you get rid of Garden slugs?
Put the lid on the tub. Check the beer traps every few days for dead slugs and replenish the liquid as necessary. Although slugs look fat and slimy, some common garden slugs can stretch up to 8” (20 cm). So, they should squeeze through relatively small holes to get to their favorite tipple.
What pests eat sage plants?
Slugs and Snails Slugs and snails are common pests in gardens and can also affect sage plants. They feed on the leaves, leaving irregular holes and ragged edges. These pests are more active during wet and damp conditions.