|
Some slugs are notable garden pests and there are various methods of controlling them. Commercial slug pellets containing metaldehyde or methiocarb are available, but are not approved for organic gardening as they can poison creatures further up the food chain. Aluminium sulphate can also be used and its proponents say it is less toxic to the environment. Salt will kill a slug but washes away easily and contaminates the ground. Diatomaceous earth is a natural abrasive that can cause small cuts or scratches on slugs, causing them to dehydrate. Slugs are gastropods without shells or with very small shells (often which are internal), in contrast with snails from which they share a common ancestor, which have a prominent shell. ...
Metaldehyde is a chemical commonly used as a pesticide to kill slugs and other gastropods. ...
Organic gardening is gardening without the use of man-made chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. ...
General Name, Symbol, Number aluminium, Al, 13 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 13, 3, p Appearance silvery Atomic mass 26. ...
Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or halite, is a chemical compound with the formula NaCl. ...
Diatomaceous earth, also known as diatomite, kieselguhr, kieselgur, and Celite, is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like, sedimentary rock mineral that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. ...
Slugs have an aversion to copper. Copper pipe can be used and commercial slug rings are available. A 15cm length of plastic pipe with copper foil tape around it can be used to protect individual plants. General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance copper, metallic Atomic mass 63. ...
Slugs find rough surfaces such as crushed eggshells irritating. They also find dry surfaces difficult to cross since they must extrude a wet slime coat in order to move and this can eventually lead to dehydration, so leave cleared borders or walkways around plants. Mulch provides an ideal slug habitat so mulch lightly around plants that are attractive to slugs. Water only in the morning so that the ground will dry by evening when slugs are naturally active. Prune lower leaves or stake large plants to reduce potential hiding places for slugs and to allow better air circulation which helps keep the soil surface drier. In agriculture and gardening, mulch is a protective cover placed over the soil, primarily to modify the effects of the local climate. ...
Beer traps can be used early in the season, when the slugs' favoured foods and foliage is more scarce. Such traps have various designs, but essentially the slugs find the smell attractive and will venture into a half buried jar, or cut away plastic bottle, contining a small amount of beer (not stout or lager), succumb to the fumes, and invariably drown. A typical mug of lager beer, showing the golden colour of the beer and the foamy head floating on top. ...
Comfrey can be used as a decoy by placing the leaves around plants to protect them. The slugs will eat the comfrey and leave the protected plant alone. This is a honeypot approach, and rarely effective as it merely increases slug populations in the longer term. Species Symphytum asperum Lepechin Symphytum officinale L. Symphytum tuberosum L. Symphytum x uplandicum Nyman Comfrey is an important herb in organic gardening, having many medicinal and fertiliser uses. ...
Look up Honeypot in Wiktionary, the free dictionary For the plant, see king protea. ...
Encouraging natural predators will help to keep the slug population under control. A recent development in the control of slugs is the introduction of 'Nemaslug', a microscopic nematode (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) that will seek out and parasitize slugs, reproduce inside them and kill them. The nematode is applied by watering onto moist soil, and gives protection for up to six weeks, though is mainly effective with small and young slugs under the soil surface. The nematode is only effective in warm, moist conditions, above about 20°C. Classes Adenophora Subclass Enoplia Subclass Chromadoria Secernentea Subclass Rhabditia Subclass Spiruria Subclass Diplogasteria The roundworms (Phylum Nematoda) are one of the most common phyla of animals, with over 20,000 different described species. ...
A parasite is an organism that lives in or on the living tissue of a host organism at the expense of that host. ...
Use garden plants that are natually resistant to slugs.
Finally, night time patrols with hand collection can be useful. These can be augmented by setting out traps such as boards, shingles, overturned flower pots, or grapefruit halves for slugs to hide under. Flip over the traps and collect the slugs.
For best results, several methods can be used together.
See also Biological control of pests and diseases // Overview A key belief of the organic gardener is that diversity furthers health. ...
External links |
Feeds |
Contact