Sue Sanderson – our horticulturist expert
Sue Says
Organic methods of slug control include picking the slugs off the leaves and stems at dusk when they are at their most active. Although this can seem laborious it is very effective. Nemaslug,an organic product,can be watered into the soil. It contains nematodes (tiny parasitic creatures) which infect any slugs in the soil and kill them. It remains effective for about 6 weeks and is perfectly safe to use on food crops too (it is not harmful to humans, pets or wildlife). Beer traps are also effective at drawing the slugs in and drowning them. Just cut the bottom off a lemonade bottle and sink it into the ground so the top is level with the soil surface, and then simply fill the trap with beer. Other similar traps can be made by placing empty grapefruit skins or melon skins upside down on the soil. Slugs love to gorge on the sweet, aromatic flesh of fruit; the darkness and moisture suits them as well. check the skins each morning and destroy the slugs hiding in there! For a long-term solution try to encourage more birds into the garden, they are excellent at removing slugs!
