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Garden Pests: Slugs and Snails

According to a study published in Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment you can reduce slug and snail damage dramatically by watering in the morning instead of the evening. The study showed that lettuce watered only in the morning had only 1/5 the damage that lettuce watered in the evening had.

Here are some additional guidelines that will help you control the slug and snail population in your garden:

Encourage reptiles to take up residence in your garden. Toads, turtles and snakes all prey on slugs.

If you see evidence of these pests avoid dense groundcovers and mulches that provide a hiding place. Oak leaf mulch will deter slugs and snails.

Handpick slugs and snails at night. Use a flashlight, and drop them into a bucket of soapy water.

Lay boards in the garden to trap slugs and snails. Check your trap early in the morning and remove the slugs and snails as they collect.

Diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base of the stems will deter slugs and snails, but keep in mind that it will also discourage beneficial insects.

Drench the soil with wormwood tea.

Line the garden with copper strips. Slugs receive a shock when they touch copper, and they will not cross the barrier. When using this method, make sure you trap the slugs OUT and not IN.

Slugs love beer. Bury a shallow container of beer in the garden, with just the lip above the ground. When they go in for a drink, they will drown.

Contributed by GardenGuides http://www.gardenguides.com

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