Snare those Slugs and Snails!

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/snare-those-slugs-and-snails.html

posted by Annie B. Bond Jan 28, 1999 6:45 am

filed under: Garden & Nature, Natural Pest Control

There’s a scene in the latest Harry Potter movie where Harry’s friend spits up slugs. Yuck! Doesn’t that just sum up the way most of us feel about slugs and snails? The very thought of the slimy little things is not a pretty one, and absolutely nobody wants them ruining their garden!

Stop destructive snails and slugs from snacking on your plants, but without using poisonous baits that can threaten the health of your pets and family. Alternative methods may take just a little patience, but with a bit of perseverance you will be able to rid your garden of these pesky creatures without using harmful chemicals.

Remove slugs and snails by hand. By night, use a flashlight and follow
their shiny trails to find them.
Transport them somewhere far from your garden, (not your neighbor’s
garden!) or squish or drown them in a jar of soapy water.
Wearing a face mask, spread natural or agricultural-grade diatomaceous
earth over the soil in flower beds or around individual plants. Diatomaceous
earth cuts the slugs and causes them to dehydrate. Reapply after each rain.
Deter snails and slugs by sprinkling cayenne pepper along their paths.
Place ceramic flowerpots upside-down to attract and trap snails and slugs
in the shade. Overturn them and remove the snails daily until they are gone.
Water your garden and lawn in the morning. Slugs and snails travel at night
more easily through wet plants.

More on Natural Pest Control (35 articles available)
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Leila Manges says
Mar 9, 2009 4:19 PM

I want to try the cayenne pepper advice... Would this hurt my veggie garden to put this spice all over it?

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Isma Awendragoness says
Nov 18, 2008 9:59 AM

well I tried all this year and still got to much slugs. We think that we "rehomed " about 2000 slugs if not more about 5 miles away . I cut the lawn short, picked every day slugs and still they eat most of my flowers and veges. WE even found them on the leaves on a tree. I kidnapped a hedgehog , poisend them ,..,, guess what we still got them..
and this is not only my garden I'm talking about as others in the southwest of England have made the same experiences..

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Erin Murphy says
Oct 8, 2007 9:59 PM

i meant aqutic snails dude

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Cat G. says
Jun 11, 2007 3:51 PM

slugs like beer. put out a shallow dish and they will crawl in and drown themselves.

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