Hey everyone! I'm reaching out because my indoor plants, especially my potted succulents, have been overrun by slugs, particularly tiger slugs, for about a year now. It's super frustrating! I mostly see them on one side of my lounge, and every time I check, there's a trail of slug goo on everything. I've been keeping beer traps out for them, but it feels like I'm losing the battle.
I also found these tiny cream-colored grubs (about 1mm long) wriggling around in a few of my pots, along with the slugs. A big pothos plant of mine is also suffering from some awful white fuzzy mold. I'm at a loss – I want to save my plants without harming my cockatiel's sensitive respiratory system. I was thinking maybe about using diatomaceous earth, but I'm unsure how to go about it. Should I consider repotting my plants or even throwing everything out? I really hope someone can help me out! ?
1 Answer
A sprinkle of diatomaceous earth (DE) works wonders for slugs! Just be cautious since while it's safe, inhaling it isn’t great. Apply it where you notice slugs, but keep it dry since it loses its potency when wet. Try placing some in your drip trays and consider bottom watering to keep the DE from getting damp. As for those little white wrigglers, they're likely larvae from fungus gnats, which are a sign of overwatering or poor air flow. They won't kill your plants but addressing the watering issue can definitely help.
Thanks so much for this advice! I see slugs mainly under pots and in the drainage holes. Would putting the DE underneath the pots work or just push them deeper into the soil? I may also need to adjust my watering; my succulents were looking a bit shriveled so I thought more water was the answer.