Garden Slugs and Natural
Garden Pests Control
Garden slugs are more active than snails...
Slugs are naked molluscs; they have no external shell, and look almost worm like as they crawl along.
Most types of slugs have no protecting shell like snails. Except the yellow cellar-slug, 'Limax flavus' (bluish colour tentacles), and a large pale grey spotted with black species, 'Limax maximus (leopard slug)' both have a small shell in the skin.
Some species like Limax marginalus are active on trees and bushes. The cellar slugs and tree slugs are commonly found in cellars; in holes in walls.
Garden slugs (Arion hortensis) are small, slender, and striped with grey; or yellow.
One said Black slugs (Arion ater) are black in colour. They are the largest and most common monsters in the gardens and cultivated fields. They love decaying vegetation. At times the animal becomes carnivorous will eat live creatures. The young are usually yellowish white, but gradually assume a darker colour as they grow older. Mature ones vary greatly in colours. Others said more brilliant colours often seen in the warm countries than in the cold.
Garden Slugs and Their Babies
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Leopard slug are common types of slugs found in our small backyard garden. Young Limax maximus is first white in colour, then pink and transparent. They are sitting near the water cool area. They can be found easily on the ground surface; or in the upside-down clay flower pots after winter season; or in the compost container.
The best way to get rid of garden slugs and snails; or how to control garden slugs with easy organic methods? This is one of the most challenging task for us.
Either snails or slugs will be easily be killed by the strong heat from the natural sun. So, the nature can be the slug killer.
Some small animals like European hedgehog loves slugs; frogs and toad will eat slugs; chickens and birds may help to eat them too.
Garden Slugs and Organic Slug Control
During our early gardening days, we have tried putting a cup of beer every evening in our small organic garden; it would attract the slugs to crawl in it and get drank. So, the next morning we collected their drank bodies and throw them away. This slug trap works! However, it took plenty of our time to monitor and it is a waste of beer. Moreover, these small animals have to follow the rules from the nature; and they have their own life cycles. We decided not to kill them, but to allow them to live in our garden as long as they do not damage our plants.
After much consideration, we came up with two possibilities; either provide a lovable cool environment for them to stay in or a dislike environment that, they will run far away from it.
Our preferred strategy is to provide inconvenience to this little animals, so that, they will stay far away from our plants.
- Slugs dislike the odor of garlics; if putting garlic plants around your low leaves vegetation or flower plants will have less chance to get damages.
- Slugs dislike crawling on a rough surface; spreading the cocoa peels; pine wood chips; or egg shells all over your garden top soil will help to escape from the slugs. Moreover, cocoa peels and pine wood chips are best for mulching and they are good for its warmth as well as its nutrients.
- Use tall growing boxes, flower pots and containers or baskets will have no worries on slugs and snails.
- Support your low grown leaves and flowers with bamboo sticks, so that they will stay a little distance away from the ground level.
Our vegetables and plants are not disturbed by slugs and snails ever since we grow them in containers and push up all the low growing leaves.
Last summer we discovered a Limax maximus slug and her new born orange eggs under one of our out grown cucumber plant basket in the vegetable raised bed. It was a great surprise and I was happy to meet such an exceptional moment. So, I learned about slug eggs.
Garden Slugs and Their Transparent Slug Eggs
Both slugs and snails love to hide under the large leaves; because they love to be sheltered from the sun and they will stay there at day and the large plant leaves are their easy access dinner.
One said gardening plants have large low growing leaves, such as Hosta lily, Rhubarb vegetable, Bergenia cordifolia 'Rotblum' (Schoenlappersplant) are commonly used for keeping these small creatures at one place; so that, they will not disturb the other plants.
It is fortunate that we don't have black slugs and snail slugs (Testacella) in our garden. So, our earth worms are safe.
In our organic garden, the most troublesome garden pests or plant pests are not these slugs and snails, but the flying insects; especially the charming white cabbage butterfly.
Try your best to respect all the small animals and insects from the nature; and keep your garden free from both chemical pesticide and organic pesticides; if possible!
Organic Garden Tips and More
Go to Organic Garden Home from Garden Slugs
