July should be a very busy time of the year with plenty to do in the garden, and plenty of flowers and produce to harvest. It should not be a time where my focus is on everything I can do to deter slugs and snails! However, not everything is all doom and gloom and if you want to see how my allotment is coming on you can read all about it HERE.
This month should also be full of sunshine and warmth, with the days long and dry enough to get in the garden even after a long day at work. It’s normally the time of year that I am being gently told off by Nick as when I am off work, I disappear into the garden at the start of the day and don’t come back til its time for dinner. Normally covered in mud and with a bad back!
Rain, rain and more rain
Well, I don’t know what’s happened this year but I can’t remember the last time this month that I actually got to sit in the sunshine in my garden. I say sit in the sunshine, because I am quite happy to sit in the garden when its cloudy or even raining. There is something relaxing about warm rain on the skin as well as the sound of it on leaves.
Of course, the positives of lots of rain, means full water butts and a nice supply for when the sun does actually shine. Plus, I don’t have to worry about the plants dying of thirst.
But all that rain also brings slugs and snails. In fact, this year, all of my dahlias have been eaten 😱, I have sown at least three rounds of cabbages 😣 and my baby delphiniums have just about survived being stripped of all their leaves 🥺.
Embrace the slime?
Now, I don’t actually mind slugs and snails, they are part of the wildlife of my garden so if they get a few of my plants then so be it. But this year they are out in force. As a result I have learnt to be extra vigilant in the garden and to try and minimise the impact of these slimy forever-open mouths! But I do work full time, and I have so much to do both in the garden and at home that I am always on the look out for things to help which don’t take much time or effort!
How to deter slugs and snails ✅
Here are some things you can do to prevent your plants being eaten and deter slugs and snails. I have given you the thumbs up for yes this works for me, the thumbs down for no it doesn’t, and a hands in the air for “I don’t know cos its too much effort to try it”.
🐓Predators! 👍
If I had a choice, I would have chickens. Minimal effort required. I used to have 4 hens in my previous house and they kept the garden in a nice balanced state by eating some of the slugs and snails (and plants but we will gloss over that!)
I haven’t got them here yet, but it is my plan. Plus they are so lovely to watch and have their own personalities. And of course you get eggs! Other predators you can entice into your garden are birds and hedgehogs who will keep the snail population down for you.
⭐️Mulch – deter slugs and snails by making the route to food inaccessible 👍
I use Strulch to mulch my plants. Minimal effort and can be done at the time you plant your babies. This is a mineralised straw which has other benefits such as keeping moisture in and weeds down (useful!). I also find it really good for deterring slugs and snails as they don’t like crawling over the dry material because it sticks to their slime.
🤮Organic Slug Pellets 👍
I also use organic slug pellets. They are made of naturally occurring iron phosphate so they are non toxic to soil or plants. But they are not kind to slugs or snails who when ingested will go off and die. I only use these on my allotment because I can’t get there every day. And as much as I don’t like them, I don’t like having to kill them! I know – I’m a softie.
☠️Nematodes – deter slugs and snails by going all ‘28 Days Later’ on them👍🤷🏻♀️
These don’t so much deter slugs and snails as get rid of them! They are little organisms that, like pellets, poison the critters. They are also non toxic, but a bit pricey. I have read about the efficacy of these for ages but haven’t used them yet.
🍻Beer traps 🤷🏻♀️😱
This is not one I have tried myself nor will I, because why would you waste good beer!? But if you want to, you put the beer in a container which is level with the soil and wait until the slimy ones fall in. Then dispose of them.
👮Copper tape 👎
I keep reading about copper tape as a deterrent. I tried it once, it didn’t work. It cost me money so I didn’t try it again.
☕️Coffee grounds – deter slugs and snails by coating their slime in coffee 🤷🏻♀️
Left over from the cafetière, coffee grounds are also said to work. I have tried to empty my grounds into a container and then take them outside every few days. But it felt like a lot of effort. So I gave up and composted them instead. No idea if they work or not.
🕵️Sneak beaky 👍🤷🏻♀️
You can seek and destroy (not literally, just remove them) by torchlight at night when the slugs and snails come out to play. Do I do this? Hell no. Mainly because I forget. I will try it one of these days.
🪴Raise em up! Deter slugs and snails by making them climb a mountain👍
My last trick is to put your extra tasty plants in pots and position them somewhere slugs don’t go, like a table. I do this with my hostas‘ on my concrete patio. Seems to work, as even slugs and snails don’t want to climb the equivalent of Mount Everest do they!?
🌼Companion planting 👍
The other thing I have done which has saved some of my veg, is to plant sacrificial plants, so ones that deter slugs and snails from your prize plants, by eating the sacrificial ones. Minimal effort if grown from seed, even less if shop bought. These include marigolds and nasturtium.
Now you know how to deter slugs and snails!
So I hope this gives you a few effortless methods you can try to deter slugs and snails in your garden, as well as some reassurance that every garden is suffering right now, so if you are new to it – JUST KEEP GOING!
Right, I am off to inspect what carnage as taken place overnight in my garden, and to maybe take some of my own advice!
Laters….
JT x
