10 Natural Ways to Control Slugs

Slugs are not only disgusting, but they are also huge menaces to gardens everywhere. If you don’t have a plan or strategy to get rid of them, it can seem like an overwhelming obstacle. Here are a few simple solutions that will help you decrease the slug infestation in your backyard.

Frogs

Introducing a slug predator into your yard is a good way of controlling the slug population. However, if you dislike their predators as much as the slugs, then this may not be the best idea. If you want to get frogs, make sure you have a pond or water feature of some sort in your backyard to keep them around!

Chamomile

A great way to stop slugs from eating your vegetables is by planting things that will distract the slugs. Chamomile is very attractive for slugs and they’ll go eat that instead of your fruits and vegetables! Place traps around the chamomile or check it frequently to get rid of any snacking slugs!

Grapefruit

Slugs love citrus fruits, so use them as slug traps. Simply cut the grapefruit in half, scoop out the insides, and then place the flat end on the ground of your garden. Prop it up with a small rock or pebble and wait. The slugs will crawl underneath the peel and then you’ll be able to dispose of them how you want.

Copper

For some reason, slugs don’t like crawling over or being near copper. Use this to your advantage and place either pennies, copper wire, or some other form of copper around the edges of your garden and new plants.

Eggshells

Sharp eggshells cut up the slugs, so they are a good way to keep the pests out of your garden. However, the shells need to be hard or else they won’t work very well. Replace the shells every few days, especially if it has recently rained.

Chives

Many plants repel slugs, and chives are one of them. Plant chives in or around your garden and you will see the slug population decrease greatly, saving your other fruits and veggies!

Cornmeal

This is a trick that works great on a lot of garden pests. Put the corneal in a container in your garden (somewhere that will keep it dry) and let the slugs come to it. They’ll eat the cornmeal, which will expand in their stomachs and kill them.

Shade

Slugs love dark and moist places, so create some shade with flowerpots, cardboard, or pieces of wood. The slugs will flock to the damp and shady area and then just check frequently to kill or get rid of them.

Beer Traps

This works surprisingly well. Take a cup or saucer and fill it with beer. Then place it wherever the slugs are most active in your garden. The slugs are attracted to the beer’s gasses and will crawl into the saucer and drown.

Red Clover

Slugs love red clover. If you want to keep them away from your other plants then put some red clover in your garden to be the sacrifice. The slugs will eat up the red clover, thus sparing your other plants. Also, red clover has a great color so that’s a plus for your garden.