Slugs

Slugs can be a problem in any garden that has some shade, moisture and, of course, plants. Understanding a little about these creatures and how they live will help you deal with them effectively in your garden. Slugs are not actually insects, but mollusks, and resemble a snail without a shell. Their soft, exposed body excretes slime that helps them move from plant to plant. They prefer cool, moist areas and avoid sun, which dries them out. Because of this, slugs feed mainly at night when the temperatures cool down. During the day, when you might be out in the garden, they tend to hide out and go unnoticed. You may not know you have slugs in your garden until the damage is already done.

As with any garden pest, there are certain plants that slugs prefer. Hosta are like candy to slugs and will leave their leaves looking like Swiss cheese. They also like munching on impatiens, marigolds, strawberries, and tomatoes to name a few.
On plants with large leaves, such as hosta, slug damage is usually distinctive and shows up as irregular holes with smooth edges. The holes may range in size from a pencil eraser up to the size of a quarter. Most of the holes tend to be within the leaf blade instead of along its edges. Substantial damage on edges of leaves may be indicative of another problem pest.

Damage Control:

There are several ways to deal with slugs in the garden. These include trapping or poisoning, or creating a slug barrier. It may take a combination of methods to control heavily infested areas.

Before any method is implored, first try making the slugs’ living conditions inhospitable. Clean up any fallen plant matter or other debris where slugs may

hide during the day. Avoid composting slug infested plant material. Don’t scare away toads or snakes as they are natural predators of slugs. If possible, grow varieties of hosta labeled “slug-resistant” like those with puckered or thick blue leaves.

The old stand-by slug trap consists of straight-sided container sunk in the ground, and filled with beer. Once attracted to the trap, the slug falls in and drowns. This slow, but trusted method works if traps are checked every day or two, emptied and the beer refreshed.

More “modern” methods of slug control include using a barrier of Diatomaceous Earth around plants to deter slugs from reaching it. This product is a lightweight, flat crystal that cuts into the slug’s body and causes it to dry out. It should be reapplied after a few heavy rains.

Since slugs will not cross copper, strips of this metal may be applied around the base of a plant to stop them from crawling onto it. This simple barrier works even after it rains.
Poisonous baits are also available for use against slugs and come in liquid or pellet form. Bonide Slug, Snail, & Sowbug Pellets can simply be applied on the ground around the affected area to kill slugs. This type of bait should be reapplied after a couple of weeks, but with any luck the problem may already be gone. As with any chemical, read and follow all directions carefully.

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