Slugs are the misfortune of any gardener. In simple terms, these are snails without a shell. Their main means of defense is mucus. It protects from environmental influences and helps with movement. They are omnivores. Moreover, their gluttony allows them to be identified as one of the most dangerous pests. When they eat plants, they leave behind gnawed holes and traces of mucus. During periods of drought, they practically do not appear, but with the arrival of rains there are a lot of them. The period of activity is night; during the day they hide from the sun in secluded corners. A large number of slugs can damage an entire garden, spoil many plants, and spread diseases throughout the garden. Let's figure out how to get rid of slugs.
There are the following types of gastropod pests:
- slugs - they do not have a shell, it was lost in the process of evolution;
- semi-slugs - they have a rudimentary shell;
- snails have a regular shell.
All species are pests, but the most harmful are shellless snails.
What is the harm from slugs on the site?
As is already known, they are omnivores and adapt to almost any weather conditions. They feed on plant leaves, fruits, and shoots. They love ornamental plants and flowers. Various plant crops suffer, regardless of where they are grown - open or closed. After an encounter with slugs, the quality and quantity of the harvest and the appearance of the fruit deteriorate. It is the seeds and first shoots that are most vulnerable, not large plants. If you notice the lack of germination of seeds that should have already sprouted, you should not scold the manufacturer; most likely the seeds were eaten by slugs.
In addition to eating the crop, pests can spread disease from one plant to another. In addition, slugs themselves can be a source of infection and spread it throughout the plantings. Fungi, bacteria and helminths accumulate in the mucus. Crawling on plants, slugs spread harmful substances throughout them. They are carriers of helminths from animals and birds, which pose a danger even to humans.
Preventive measures
The garden must be plowed regularly , the grass around the perimeter must be mowed, and weeds and plant debris must be removed in a timely manner.
Thinning out plantings is also a good way to prevent the appearance of slugs, because they do not like open and dry places.
After harvesting, you should thoroughly clean the soil of weeds , rotting or dry tops, under which pests can accumulate.
There are many plants whose smell repels shellfish and keeps vegetables and berries safe:
- mint;
- garlic;
- chicory;
- lavender;
- parsley;
- mustard.
These plants can be planted not only around the perimeter of the garden , but also between the beds, protecting the most vulnerable vegetables. Read more about the fight against slugs on vegetables and berries here. But birds, hedgehogs and frogs cope best with pests ; attracting them to the site is not so difficult.
For birds, it is enough to hang feeders on trees and periodically pour grain into them; frogs will be attracted to a small homemade pond with a pile of rotted leaves on the shore.
Hedgehogs quite often wander into the garden on their own, and in order for them to settle there, you need to treat them with milk, cookies, or something else. If hedgehogs or frogs live on the site, there are no problems with slugs .
The main reasons for the appearance
It is almost impossible to detect slugs. During the day they hide in damp soil, where they are difficult to notice due to their color, and at night they come out. You can find out the approximate amount on the site thanks to the traces of mucus left on the paths and soil. It's best to check in the morning before the marks are dry.
You can suspect the presence of these pests on the site based on the following signs:
- holes of uneven shape on plants, while large veins are intact;
- complete destruction of berries or large holes in them;
- lack of mature seeds;
- characteristic traces of mucus on the surface of the earth.
In the wild, slugs maintain ecological balance. They eat weed sprouts, clearing the ground. They themselves serve as food for many forest inhabitants, such as hedgehogs.
Pest invasion may be associated with weather conditions favorable for reproduction:
- warm and humid spring or autumn;
- warm winter;
- rainy summer.
They can also enter an area with contaminated plants or soil. Therefore, you need to carefully approach the purchase of raw materials for the site.
Superphosphate
Phosphorus is an important element for the proper and complete development of plants and plantings. Fertilizer not only has a positive effect on the crops grown, but also effectively fights pests.
| Options | Description |
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| How to cook |
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| What pests does it affect? | Snails, slugs. |
| Consumption per area | 80-100 g – 1 sq. m. |
| Price | 50 rub. - 1 kg. |
When should you start fighting?
Since slugs are an integral part of the food chain, the fight against them must begin when significant damage is caused to plantings. The damage caused to plants depends on the period of activity and reproduction of slugs. Thus, in the dry season, they hide almost all the time in moist soil and become lethargic and inactive. In addition, not everyone is able to survive the drought; many will die.
You can start removing slugs based on weather conditions and time of year:
- activity and gluttony increase in cool and humid weather - this is an ideal environment for them;
- individuals live from one to three years. In summer, eggs are laid, from approximately 10 to 500 eggs, depending on the favorable environment. Young offspring appear after two to three weeks. Thus, at the end of summer there are many times more pests. Plus, with the beginning of autumn and the onset of cool, wet weather, their activity increases significantly.
Predator
The gardener's effective fight against slugs will be crowned with success when using the Predator insecticide. The drug contains metaldehyde, which interacts with shellfish by contact and when swallowed. Used to protect all types of crops.
| Options | Description |
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| How to cook | Use bait substrates or scatter along the beds. |
| What pests does it affect? | Gastropods. |
| Consumption per area | 7 g – 10 sq. m. |
| Price | 95 g – 100 rub. |
How to get rid of slugs forever
Having studied the lifestyle and preferences of pests, you can choose effective methods to prevent their occurrence, significantly reduce their numbers and completely destroy them.
Methods of destruction are divided into:
- traditional methods;
- natural;
- chemical.
Chemical methods are used only as a last resort, if folk and natural methods do not help.
Cleaning the area from weeds
It is necessary to properly and regularly weed and paint plantings and beds, remove weeds, debris, and plant debris. Particular attention should be paid to places near greenhouses and greenhouses. This method will help improve ventilation between vegetation and reduce moisture, which is an unfavorable environment for slugs. It is also necessary to remove their possible hiding places - stones, boards, stumps.
Do not over-water the plantings
Slugs accumulate in moist places. Abundant watering of the beds leads to increased humidity. It is in this place that pests will accumulate. Plants that are overwatered may begin to rot, which will also attract slugs.
Sprinkling paths and row spacing in the evening
Iron sulfate 10g/sq. m, superphosphate 5-8 g/sq. m, a mixture of slaked lime and tobacco dust 1:1 (30 g/sq. m), or a mixture of ash and bleach (30-40 g/sq. m). An effective folk method of sprinkling is with dried mustard, slaked lime or wood ash. These substances deoxidize the soil and make it unsuitable for slugs.
You can sprinkle a dense layer of paths and row spacing with sawdust, spruce branches, and sand. Pests will not be able to crawl on these materials.
Planting repellent plants
You can plant plants that are unpleasant for snails. So, they will avoid places where they grow. These plants can be planted around the perimeter of the beds, like a kind of fence.
These include:
- mustard;
- sagebrush;
- onion;
- thyme;
- garlic.
Setting traps
You can build traps with or without bait.
Do not water one area with water for a week. Then water generously and place wet rags, tree bark, plant leaves - they will serve as houses. Traps are placed at a distance of 3-5 centimeters from each other. Every day in the late afternoon they clean up and gather slugs. It is important to move the traps to new locations after each assembly.
In addition to moist soil, vegetables such as beets, cabbage, and carrots can be bait. The most unusual, but effective option is to use beer. The fact is that snails are attracted by its smell. Beer containers are buried up to the neck in the ground. It is better to use large containers so that the slugs drown in them.
Spraying plants with caustic solutions
In this case, a salt solution is suitable. It is better to use crystallized salt, because... it is more caustic, but the cooked version is also suitable. Saline solution has a detrimental effect on plants, so it is better to spray in small doses that are safe for plants and harmful to slugs. This method is ideal for processing compost heaps. Rotting plant remains are one of the most favorite places for pests. By spraying traces of mucus with a saline solution, you can immediately get rid of uninvited guests. It is important to spray in dry weather after sunset to prevent the salt from dissolving in the moisture.
Soda against slugs
It is better to use soda ash rather than baking soda. It is necessary to pour a thick layer of soda into areas where slugs are concentrated. Under the influence of the substance they die literally before our eyes.
Using corn flour.
This is a favorite and at the same time deadly food for snails. Corn flour is poured into a jar and left overnight on the site. In the morning, dead pests are collected and thrown as far from the site as possible.
Herbicides
These are chemicals used to remove plants and slugs.
- Preparations based on the active substance - iron phosphate. It kills snails quickly, is non-toxic to the soil and decomposes quickly.
- Carbonate pesticides. This product in the form of granules is scattered over the area and lures slugs with its smell. The action is aimed at blocking the mucous glands. By eating the granules, mucus, the snail’s main defense, stops secreting, resulting in death.
- Metaldehyde-based products. They are also available in granule form. Their validity period is at least 20 days.
Biological methods
This method is suitable for those who want to get rid of pests without doing anything. All that is required is to let the other animals do their job. Many animals, birds, and insects feed on these mollusks, for example, lizards, toads, frogs, hedgehogs, thrushes, and jays. Predatory beetles eat slug eggs
Everyone knows this rule: “it’s easier to prevent than to get rid of it.” There are many ways to minimize shellfish:
- Clean area. This means removing weeds, thickets, and debris.
- Treatment with agrotechnical means. They improve the soil structure and enrich it with oxygen, which is absolutely not suitable for snails. Pests are repelled by loosening the soil on a hot sunny day. Dry soil kills eggs and young slugs.
- Introduce slug-eating animals and insects into the garden.
- Order in the area. This means not only removing weeds, but also various rags and boards - ideal hiding places for slugs.
- Fencing beds with a protective surface. For fencing, the following are used: eggshells, sawdust, pine needles, crushed stone, lime, sand. The structure of these substances does not allow slugs to move along it; accordingly, they will not be able to overcome the protective surface.
- Compost heaps. This method works if one of the previous ones is followed. Rotting plants attract slugs and are an ideal habitat - there is food, moisture, protection from sunlight. Such a pile will collect almost all the pests from the site. You can get rid of them if you wish. It’s easier to do this in one place, rather than throughout the entire area.
- Installation of a drainage system. It will help remove excess moisture from the area.
Preventative work is not particularly difficult. The regularity and timeliness of their implementation is important here for high-quality prevention of molluscs.
Metaldehyde
The slug repellent is produced in cylindrical granules in blue, green, and pink colors. Each particle includes 5% metaldehyde, kaolin and other additives. Does not dissolve in water. Impact – contact, intestinal.
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| How to cook | Open the package and distribute the granules around the plants. |
| What pests does it affect? | All types of garden slugs. |
| Consumption per area | 4 g – 1 sq. m. |
| Price | 15 g – 15-20 rub. |
Advice from experienced gardeners
In addition to the methods listed, experienced gardeners have their own technologies.
- Coffee. Caffeine has a negative effect on snails, but is completely safe for plants. To be effective, the coffee spray must completely envelop the slug.
- Alcohol. It is able to penetrate the mucous defense and kill the insect by direct contact. The main thing is that the alcohol is without additives. Ethyl alcohol is best.
- Ammonia. It is mixed in the proportion of 5 tablespoons of alcohol per bucket of clean water. This composition pollinates places where snails gather. The procedure must be repeated once a month. It is better to carry out the treatment wearing a mask and then not go outside for a while. The fact is that ammonia vapors irritate human mucous membranes.
- Mineral fertilizers. They scatter throughout the area at night. The method is used only in warm, dry weather. When a slug comes into contact with fertilizer, dehydration and then death occur.
- Manual catching. Using this method will require a lot of work. It is better to collect slugs in the dark or after rain, when they crawl out. Caught pests should be taken as far away from the site as possible. Under no circumstances should you crush a slug in your area. The smell will attract them ten times more.
- Watering with hot water. Plants that are resistant to high temperatures can be watered in the evening with water at a temperature of 50 degrees. The hot liquid will instantly kill the slugs without harming the plant.
- Hot peppers. Several pods of hot pepper are dried and cut into pieces. It turns out to be about half a kilogram of pepper, which is poured with a bucket of water, left for two days, boiled, and again left for two days. Spraying is done before and after flowering. The decoction should be stored in a warm, dry place.
- Garlic. The decoction affects not only slugs, but also other pests. Method of preparation: chop three heads of garlic and mix with ten liters of water, leave for a day.
- Mustard. Slugs die immediately just from the smell of this seasoning. To prepare the mixture, two tablespoons of mustard powder are diluted in one glass of water. The solution is left for an hour and then diluted with five liters of liquid.
Natalia
Author
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It is impossible to completely get rid of all pests and their eggs. However, it is quite possible to significantly reduce the amount without causing harm to the plants. The choice of method for exterminating pests is based on financial capabilities, the amount of free time, and an assessment of the damage that can be caused to the plantings. It is also necessary to remember that the described control methods do not work on their own. To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to use several methods in combination.
Thunderstorm (Meta)
"Thunderstorm" is an effective drug against slugs and snails. It is used for processing vegetable, berry, fruit and flower crops, including grapes. A blue insecticide containing metaldehyde and additives to attract the attention of shellfish and repel birds.
| Options | Description |
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| How to cook | After opening the package, distribute the granules between the rows. |
| What pests does it affect? | Shellfish. |
| Consumption per area | 15 g – 5 sq. m. |
| Price | 60 g – 60 rub. |
Bros
Waterproof insecticide against snails. It starts working a few hours after use. The activity of the product remains for 3 months from the date of application.
| Options | Description |
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| How to cook | The preparation is sprinkled on the localization areas of pests. Avoid contact with plants. |
| What pests does it affect? | Snails and slugs. |
| Consumption per area | 0.4-0.8 g – 1 sq. m. |
| Price | 700 rub. |
Relatives of snails
As a type of gastropod, naked slugs, related to snails, lost their shell houses during the course of evolution. Unlike aquatic mollusks, these live on land. In the Russian climate, especially in regions of moderate temperatures and sufficient humidity, gastropod pests of vegetable gardens do well.
They are found everywhere and are easily recognizable by their resemblance to snails and the absence of a shell. The soft and slippery bodies of slugs are spindle-shaped and up to 7 centimeters long. They are completely covered in protective mucus, which aids in movement. This substance secreted by the wrinkled skin also protects the slugs from drying out.
Structure of slugs
The head of the mollusk is fused with the foot-sole. The front part of the body ends with two pairs of tentacles, which can extend if necessary. The lower one serves as tactile organs; the upper one contains the eyes of the mollusk. The lip ridge surrounds the mouth opening, hiding the feeding devices.
The tongue, resembling a grater, equipped with chitinous serrations, serves to grab food, which is ground with the help of a paired horny plate. The back is covered with a mantle, which ends with the remains of a shell transformed into a plate, covering the anus and genitals of the slug.
A respiratory opening can be observed on the right side of the mantle. The color depends on the species, but most often it is a discreet gray-brown with black specks. Orange and light gray colors are rare.
Features of reproduction
As natural hermaphrodites, slugs reproduce even when isolated from other members of their species. The ability to self-fertilize can persist for several generations. But, since these creatures always have a pair in the garden, cross-fertilization remains the main method of reproduction.
Slugs hide clutches of translucent eggs from the sun in the soil under the roots of plants at a depth of up to 8 cm. There are up to 200 eggs in a clutch. After 5 weeks, tiny copies of slugs emerge from them. In 2 months they grow up and begin to produce offspring themselves. The eggs can overwinter in the ground, then new slugs will hatch from them in late spring or early summer. Both adult individuals and young animals emerging from eggs in the fall overwinter.
What is the harm from shellfish?
Over the two years of existence, each individual manages to do a lot of damage to garden crops. Distinguished by their omnivorous nature, slugs gnaw holes in juicy fruits, make holes in leaves and heads of cabbage, and spoil tubers, revealing their presence with sinuous lines drawn by dried mucus shining like mother-of-pearl.
Crawling and devouring cabbage and lettuce leaves, tomatoes and cucumbers, strawberries on their way, showing interest in flowers and ornamental crops, slugs simultaneously spread fungal plant diseases and parasite eggs, for which they act as intermediate hosts. When they eat cultivated plants, domestic animals become infected with helminthiases.
Favorable conditions
These pests are especially active at night and on cloudy days. They are favored by moderately warm temperatures around 22 degrees and high humidity in the air and soil. Long rainy periods, coinciding with oviposition and the growth of spring young animals, contribute to a noticeable increase in the number of pests.
Two rainy summers in a row produce so many slugs that it is impossible to walk through the beds without stepping on them. From the summer heat, slugs hide in the shade of the dense foliage of garden plants. Or they crawl under natural shelters and damp places and lie there until the evening. Their greatest gluttony coincides with the stages of intensive growth and reproduction.
Natural enemies of mollusks
In nature and in gardens, slugs are readily eaten by a variety of large insects, toads, birds and even mammals. This fact should be taken into account when choosing methods to combat these pests. In addition, there are many drugs for exterminating gastropods and repelling folk methods. They can be expelled from the beds using improvised means and caught mechanically.
Significantly reduce the number of pests using preventive measures:
- Cleaning compost heaps and last year's plant residues away from the beds.
- Autumn digging of the soil destroys the eggs laid by slugs.
- Timely removal of construction debris and stones from the site.
- By tearing off the lower leaves of plants.
- Using pine needles as mulch.
- Sprinkling row spacing with pine sawdust.
- Avoiding dense plantings and placing seedlings with strict adherence to the recommended distance between bushes of 30 to 50 cm.
Necessary measures to attract starlings and rooks, jays and jackdaws, which happily catch and eat slugs, can be the installation of birdhouses and feeders in the garden. Hedgehogs, which also eat slugs, can be attracted by leaving treats for them in the form of dry dog food. For frogs, make a small pond in the garden using an old bathtub filled with water.
Mechanical methods
This category includes manual collection of pests, traps, and the creation of physical obstacles or discomfort.
Pros:
Minuses:
Traps
Slugs have a good sense of smell, so instead of inspecting every bush, you can collect them in one place. For this purpose, simple traps are made - with their help, mollusks can be destroyed “in bulk.”
Beer slug trap.
If picking up slugs by hand is a nuisance, simply sprinkle soda ash on the clumps. Under the influence of the powder they will die in a matter of minutes.
You should not pick up slugs with your bare hands. The pests carry E. coli and are covered in a sticky substance that is difficult to wash off the skin.
Manual collection
Shellfish are collected early in the morning, when they have not yet had time to climb into shelters. Most often they hide under the shade of plants, in damp corners, on the back of leaves. After the “harvest” is collected, the captured parasites should be destroyed.
Creating discomfort
The body of slugs has no protection, so any aggressive impact causes them serious discomfort.
Considering this feature, to combat mollusks you can use:
Vegetation barrier
Slugs are very sensitive not only to physical influences, but also to intense aromas.
The following plants are used to repel shellfish:
They are planted next to vegetable crops, creating a natural barrier. You can go the other way - plant rapeseed in a greenhouse, which slugs really love. They will leave vegetables and fruits alone, switching to their favorite treat.
Lifehack from an expert
Slugs are a favorite treat of frogs and toads. Accordingly, to destroy parasites, you can gather a small “army” of amphibians, and then release them in a greenhouse.
Recommendations
- Thin your plantings regularly
- Plow and remove weeds regularly
- Do not leave rotting tops and weeds on the site
- mint, garlic, chicory, lavender, parsley, and mustard around and nearby . Slugs don't like the smell of these plants
- Motivate birds by hanging feeders. Birds will peck slugs
- It’s great if the area is visited by hedgehogs and frogs . They eat slugs
How to understand that pepper in a greenhouse is affected by slugs
Not everyone sees this as a problem. The clumsy mollusk does not inspire much fear. However, the slug will soon show what it is capable of: although its jaws are rather weak, it has an excellent appetite, and it eats everything that comes its way . It is difficult to detect pests during the day: they hide in dark and damp places, and at night they come out in search of food.
By the nature of the damage on the leaves (holes) and traces of mucus next to the plants, you will understand that the pepper is in danger.
Damage caused
What terrible thing will happen to the plantings if the slugs gnaw a little on the foliage ? This is what inexperienced gardeners usually think. Let us hasten to dispel their misconceptions:
Agrosin
An agricultural soil conditioner that helps improve productivity and growth of planted crops. "Agrozin" catalyzes the activity of aerobic soil bacteria and fights pests.
| Options | Description |
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| Flaws |
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| How to cook | Dilute in a ratio of 1:1000 with water. |
| What pests does it affect? | Shellfish |
| Consumption per area | 440 ml – 10 acres |
| Price | 300 rub. – 90 ml. |
Ulicide
The basis of the molluscicide is iron phosphate, which ensures effective destruction of pests through dehydration. Used in organic gardening. The drug is safe for people and pets.
| Options | Description |
| Advantages |
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| Flaws |
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| How to cook | Sprinkle the preparation over the beds and between the rows. |
| What pests does it affect? | Slugs, snails. |
| Consumption per area | 3-5 g – 1 sq. m. |
| Price | 500 rub. – 500 g. |
