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Finding chewed-up leaves, ruined seedlings, and slimy trails in your garden can be incredibly frustrating! Slugs are sneaky, nocturnal pests that silently devour your plants before you notice them.
But don’t worry—this guide will help you get rid of slugs and snails and bring your plants back to life.
With over 40,000 species of slugs, it’s no wonder they make their way into our gardens. A typical garden contains upwards of 15,000 slugs, and they are one of the most challenging pests to control.
Have you ever walked into your garden to find your prized tomatoes riddled with holes?
Identifying Damage Caused by Slugs
Slugs have a file-like, toothed tongue (radula) that allows them to chew and tear plant tissue. As a result, they create irregularly shaped holes in leaves, flowers, and fruits. They prefer young, tender seedlings but also feast on decomposing plant materials and fruits like tomatoes and strawberries.
If you find your young broccoli seedlings or low-hanging tomatoes full of holes in the morning, you’re most likely dealing with slugs. Slugs can consume several times their body weight in plant material and travel as far as 40 feet a day, so they can wreak havoc in a garden overnight.
What Are Slugs?
Slugs nor snails are not insects, but mollusks are related to octopuses and oysters. Unlike snails, which have protective shells, slugs glide along on a muscular “foot” covered in slimy mucus that helps them move. This mucus is often left behind as a shiny trail, a definite sign of their presence.
All land slugs are hermaphrodites, meaning each one has both male and female reproductive organs and can lay eggs after mating. This makes them highly efficient at reproducing, which is why they can quickly become a threat to your garden.
Life Cycle of Slugs
Slugs have three main life stages: eggs, larvae (juveniles), and adults.
- Eggs: Slugs lay 80-100 tiny, pearl-like eggs up to six times a year, usually in moist, hidden spots like under leaves or in soil crevices.
- Juveniles: Once the eggs hatch, the young slugs, called neonates, begin feeding immediately. They reach adulthood in 3-6 months.
- Adults: As fully grown adults, slugs cause the most damage, chewing irregular holes in plants. They’re most active at night, making them hard to spot, but their slime trails and plant damage give them away.
The slime trail is not to be confused with honeydew caused by aphids.
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Not All Slugs Are Bad
Most slug species are problematic but play an essential part in the biodiversity of your garden. Therefore, it’s crucial to your homestead to balance slug removal.
They play an important role in breaking down organic matter, an essential part of composting, and compost is a terrific soil amendment for your garden.
Some slug species even eat other slugs, which could be helpful. Slugs are also an important food source for many bird species, many of which help to control populations of other garden pests.
Plants that Slugs are Attracted to
Slugs and snails feed on a wide variety of plants, particularly those in shady areas, including:
- Daylilies
- Dahlia
- Basil
- Beans
- All Brassicas, including Cabbage, Broccoli, Turnips, Radishes, Kale, and other greens
- Cauliflower
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Swiss Chard
- Brussel Sprouts
- Beets
- Spinach
- and More!
Generally, slugs don’t bother plants that are in full sun.
Natural Predators of Slugs
Though slugs are a nuisance in the garden, they have natural predators that enjoy them and can help get rid of them naturally.
- Ground Beetles
- Lizards
- Frogs
- Ducks
- Geese
- Chickens
- Rove Beetles
8 Natural Controls to Get Rid of Slugs
1. Eliminate Moisture to Control Slugs
A slimy mucus protects their body and must stay consistently moist. This is why they are most active at night or noticeable during dark, rainy times.
When dry, they and their eggs can hide under rocks, bushes, logs, old plant debris, and other organic matter.
Therefore, removing these areas from your garden will help keep the population down.
2. Set Beer Traps to Get Rid of Slugs
This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of slugs and snails in the garden. Slugs are attracted to the scent of yeast.
Once they smell it, they head for it to investigate. They lean over, fall in, and drown.
How to Build a Beer Trap
Supplies:
- Trowel
- Empty tuna can, pie pan, or similar container
- Beer of your choice
Instructions:
- With a trowel, dig a hole where slugs are chewing on your prized veggies. Make it large and deep enough for your container lip to be at soil level.
- Place the container inside the hole and pour about ¾ inches of beer (not a lot). Don’t fill it to the top; you want them to fall in.
- Check traps every morning and remove any drowned slugs or snails.
If you prefer not to use beer, use a mixture of water, yeast, and sugar you most likely already have. This has even been proven to work well in place of beer and kitchen ingredients.
3. Use Drip Irrigation to Cut Down on Moisture
Since slugs are attracted to moist areas, overhead watering tosses water everywhere. Switching to drip irrigation puts water directly on the roots, and none is lost or tossed around, causing excessively moist areas.
NOTE: Watering early in the morning is best. This gives time for water to be absorbed into the soil and allows for less moisture at night when slugs and snails are most active.
4. Add Aromatic Plants to Deter Slugs
Planting aromatic perennials around the garden edges and annuals in the rows as companions to repel them.
Aromatic Herbs
Vegetables
- Tomato Leaves – but will eat low-hanging tomatoes themselves
- Onions
- Garlic
- Potato leaves
Aromatic Flowers
5. Use Wooden Board Traps to Maintain Biodiversity with Slugs
Place small flat boards (2x4s or 1x6s, – smaller sizes) on the ground near signs of slug activity.
Simply place them on the ground and let them sit overnight. Next afternoon, turn the boards over to collect slugs and snails to dispose of. Upside-down flower pots and cardboard also work well.
Anything that creates a shaded, moist area for them to hide under.
6. Use Diatomaceous Earth to Help Control Slugs
Diatomaceous earth is minute slivers of fossil shells ground into flour with sharp edges. Sprinkle it around the base of your plants. As the slugs and other insects crawl over it, they feel sharp and avoid crossing it.
NOTE: The downside is that once it gets wet, it is ruined, so it will need to be reapplied after a rain. Also, use a food-grade variety. The types sold in garden centers use additional additives that are not good for an organic garden.
How to Apply DE:
As I’ve already mentioned, if DE gets wet, it must be reapplied, so it’s best to apply it in dry applications.
Using either your hand or a hand sifter, sprinkle DE in a circular shape somewhat heavy around the base of plants affected by slugs. It’s okay to get it on the plants if it’s food-grade.
Note: It’s critical you choose food grade Diatomaceous Earth for use in an organic garden.
7. Using Eggshells to Deter Slugs
Depending on who you ask, eggshells may or may not work. Gardeners have mixed opinions about them.
If you crush them too fine, they will not be sharp. If you crush them too large, slugs will crawl around the pieces.
I’ve used eggshells in my garden for years, but not necessarily to get rid of slugs. As they break down, they add needed calcium to the soil. Therefore, I’m not sure if they have helped to deter slugs. But they are useful as organic amendments to the garden.
How to Apply Eggshells:
Lightly sprinkle crushed eggshells around the stems of plants affected by slugs or snails. It is best to do so with your hand.
All these ideas to get rid of slugs in your garden, but the best way to get rid of them is not to attract them.
8. Hand Pick Slugs – Best Organic Way to Get Rid of Slugs
I know it sounds nasty, but hand-picking can be a great way to control and get rid of slugs in your garden.
Right after it rains or at dusk, go out to your garden armed with a flashlight and gloves. Look for them on their favorite plants. When you find them, pick them off one by one and feed them to your chickens or drown them in a soapy water solution.
How to Avoid Attracting Slugs
1. Keep Things Neat and Clean
Remember, I’ve already mentioned that slugs love to hide during the day and come out only at night or when it’s damp.
So, keeping things neat and clean around your garden will go a long way.
- Keep grass cut short so they don’t have a place to hide
- Keep weeds under control in and around your garden, especially near the beds
- Keep wood piles, wood chips, and compost away
- Keep empty flower pots off the ground
- Keep pavers, containers, etc out of the garden so they don’t hide under them
- Keep your garden far away from wooden fences and bushy hedges
2. Set Out Larger Seedlings in the Spring and Fall
I know once winter is over, we get anxious to set out our seedlings that we’ve grown indoors, but if you can hold off and let them grow larger indoors, they will be stronger and more apt to recover if a slug decides to munch on them.
Checklist for Keeping Things Clean and Neat to Help Deter Slugs
- Start by clearing debris and removing old wood, pots, etc, that may attract slugs
- Set out your preferred trap before dusk
- Monitor traps daily for signs of slugs or snails.
Common Questions about Getting Rid of Slugs in a Garden
What repels slugs naturally?
Slugs can be repelled naturally with a few common methods:
- Using eggshells or diatomaceous earth as described in this article
- Planting aromatic herbs such as rosemary, sage, and mint
Why is my garden full of slugs?
Slugs thrive in moist, dark areas. Check if your garden provides this ideal habitat. If it does, use the checklist and tips in this article to reduce their numbers to a manageable level.
How do you get rid of slugs permanently?
While eliminating slugs is impossible, you can manage and keep their numbers low to prevent damage to your vegetable garden. Using one or more of the methods outlined in this article can significantly reduce their population and keep them under control.
When you set out to get rid of slugs and snails, you don’t want to rid your garden of all of them. Remember, they are beneficial in composting and to several bird species, which are predators you want to attract to your garden.
Don’t wait until your garden is full of holes and ruined plants. Take action today to get rid of slugs and enjoy a healthier, thriving garden.
Ready to learn about even more garden pests and how to control them naturally in your garden?
Even More Garden Pest Articles
- Black and Yellow Garden Spider: Friend or Foe?
- 5 Ways to Naturally Control Cabbage Worms
- 15 Ways to Naturally Control Hornworms
- Why are My Tomato Plant Leaves Curling?
- How to Get Rid of Squash Vine Borers
- Get Rid of Earwigs and Protect Your Plants with These Simple Tricks
- Holes in Tomatoes? How to Kill Tomato Fruitworms
- How to Get Rid of Ants in the Garden Naturally
- How to Get Rid of Yellow Jackets
- How to Get Rid of Squash Bugs
Dianne Hadorn is the owner of Hidden Springs Homestead nestled in the hills of East Tennessee. She is a Master Gardener and enjoys helping others learn how to grow and preserve their own food and sharing tips for living a more sustainable life.