How to Get Rid of Slugs in the Garden? 7 Best Natural Methods

How to get rid of slugs in the garden naturally? What kills slugs instantly? 7 proven natural DIY methods for keeping slugs off your plants. 

How to Get Rid of Slugs in the Garden Naturally & Effectively?

Will there be a day when we can finally marvel at our beautiful garden crops and flower beds without having to fear the unexpected visits of troublesome pests? Summer may come with a lot of vibrant blooms and perfect barbecue weather, but it also makes us meet with our new annoying neighbours – insects. Aphids, worms, caterpillars, ants, slugs, and many many more that can be harmful to our plants. Slugs may not be rendered by the RHS as pests any more, but they still do put our precious plant life at risk. Are you tired of sharing your property with these sluggy creatures? Wish there was a natural way of getting rid of them for good? Try these 7 proven methods!

Naturally Get Rid of Slugs in the Garden with Repelling Plants

How to get rid of slugs in garden naturally without harming them? One method you can try is growing plants that repel slugs. To add a touch of colour to your garden but also keep slugs and snails at bay, plant strong-scented flowers like roses, lavender, peonies and geraniums. For herbs that repel slugs you can grow rosemary, mint, sage, parsley, basil and thyme.

Getting Rid of Slugs in the Garden with a Beer Trap

A super easy and budget-friendly method for getting rid of slugs in the garden is to create a beer trap. Take a container, filling it half with beer, and bury half of it nearby your plants. The scent of beer will lure slugs, which will fall in once they try to get close to your plants. Better to keep the beer trap container 2-3 cm/ 0.78-1.18 inch above the ground, as to not attract slug-eating ground beetles.

Copper Deters Slugs from Getting Close to Your Garden

Did you know that copper tape has a negative reaction with slug slime? When copper comes into contact with the slime, it sends a tiny electric shock thorough the body of slugs. This information can help you when trying to prevent those annoying insects from harming your garden crops! Lay down copper tape around your plants to deter slugs. You can attach the tape to your potted plants, raised garden beds or to greenhouse staging.

Create a Prickly Barrier Against Slugs and Snails

Another easy-to-apply method for protecting your vegetable crops or flower garden from slugs and snails is to create a prickly barrier. As slugs are soft-bodied molluscs, anything sharp that gets in their way can prevent them from reaching your garden. Create a barrier of pine needles, crushed egg shells and thorny cuttings. You can also add sharp sand to the mix. However, do be sure that the materials you are using don’t ruin the quality of your soil.

Encourage Slug Predators by Removing Possible Shelters

How to get rid of slugs in your garden without using chemicals that can be harmful to plants and pets? A simple way would be to remove any potential slug shelters. Slugs often hide out from predators under bricks, large logs or garden furniture. Remove such and expose slugs to natural predators like toads, hedgehogs and newts. They will take care of your slug problem for you.

How Do I Permanently Get Rid of Slugs in My Garden?

If you are not seeking to simply deter slugs, but kill them, here is what you should do: Sprinkle the slugs with a fair amount of salt. Just be sure not to use too much, as a large amount can be harmful to plants as well. Best to try this method far way from your precious plant life. Another way to kill slugs is with vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray slugs that are not on any plants.

Lure Slugs Out and Then Dispose of Them

Why not set up another easy DIY trap for catching those annoying sluggish beings? Leave a pile of old lettuce leaves at a damp and shady corner in your garden. This will attract a large number of slugs. Once you notice them piling up, scoop them out and dispose of them as you see fit. You can also check your trap at night with the help of a torchlight to catch slugs on the move.

Did you know that red pepper flakes can help you in the fight against pests in your garden and home? Find out just how!