I'm dealing with a serious slug invasion on my patio and in my planters! Every morning, I find their slime trails on my cement and even on the rims of my half-barrel planters, which means they've scaled them. It's frustrating because it hasn't even rained lately; I used to think they only came around during wet weather. I've tried beer traps and sprinkling cayenne pepper to keep them away, but nothing seems to work. Just yesterday, I almost mistook a dead slug for a mushroom! Any effective methods you recommend to deter or permanently eliminate these pests? I'm located in Zone 9c, if that helps.
3 Answers
You might want to wrap some copper tape around your plants. Slugs don’t like crawling over copper, so it can help keep them at bay. Just keep in mind that if you’re using pellets like Sluggo, they need to be reapplied often, especially in wet weather.
I’d recommend trying Sluggo. It’s made from iron phosphate, so it shouldn’t harm beneficial insects. I personally use the Bonide version since it also has Spinosad to keep my earwig problem at bay!
Diatomaceous Earth works wonders on slugs and is safe around your edibles. Just dust it around the base of your plants rather than mixing it into the soil. This way, you can protect your veggies and herbs without worry!
Oh wow! I didn't know DE worked on slugs too! Should I dust it around the pots or is there a better spot? Thanks for the tip!