Weekend Gardener: Heavy Rains Bring Slugs

Our resident Weekend Gardener expert Laura Stone of has the following advice for your weekend gardening plans:

Since heavy rains encourage slug problems, you want to check for slugs during rainy periods and hand pick the pests. 

If you cant see the buggers, but you know you have a slug problem, you can buy products such as Sluggo and Slug Magic that will save your plants. Both of these products can be used around vegetable gardens.

However, if you’re interested in a chemical free solution try some of these ideas:

• Strips of aluminum foil can be made into simple collars to place around the young stems of seedlings. The metallic content of these strips is not something that is enjoyed by the slugs and snails; therefore they act very well as a deterrent.
• Sink a jam jar into the soil of your plot. Fill it with beer, sugar water or even luscious lettuce leaves. The slugs will enjoy a 'final' meal, but remember to leave a twig inside to allow other insects to escape. Don't forget to keep it clean and topped up and don't put it too close to your precious plants or you may attract a new population.
• Slugs do not like hard and prickly barriers. Mix a little sharp sand, grit, eggshells, sawdust, chopped thistles etc. into your soil or just use a little as a barrier 
• Another good idea is bran. It takes the moisture away from the slug's body and kills it. Many of these organic barrier methods can benefit the soil when they are dug in, as they will act as a conditioner. However, if you have very alkaline soil, you do not want to use eggshells, as they will add calcium.

Happy gardening!