I have enough slugs to damage seedlings, but I do not want to make the whole garden hostile to everything else.
I am starting boring: clear hiding places, water earlier, check under boards and pots, protect new seedlings physically. I would rather change the conditions than reach for a miracle product.
1 reply
I’d keep the “don’t declare war on the whole garden” mindset. The best slug control I’ve seen is usually a mix of patience and making the se...
I’d keep the “don’t declare war on the whole garden” mindset. The best slug control I’ve seen is usually a mix of patience and making the seedlings less appealing targets.
Barriers around new starts help more than people think.
I’m with you, though I still check every few days because the population can jump fast after rain. It’s less about winning forever and more about staying ahead of them.
The habitat cleanup sounds sensible.
0 replies
I’ve had better luck with “reduce cozy places” than with anything flashy. Slugs love a nice damp hideout. If you can get seedlings up and mo...
I’ve had better luck with “reduce cozy places” than with anything flashy. Slugs love a nice damp hideout.
If you can get seedlings up and moving before they notice, that’s half the battle.
1 reply
That’s pretty much the route I’d take. Keep it physical and boring first, because a lot of slug problems are really habitat problems. I’ve h...
That’s pretty much the route I’d take. Keep it physical and boring first, because a lot of slug problems are really habitat problems.
I’ve had decent luck with boards used as traps in the evening, then just moving the slugs out the next morning.
Same. I don’t love making the whole area hostile either.
If you change the watering time and reduce hiding places, you can usually knock the damage back enough to get seedlings past the danger stage.