Slugs are one of the small creatures least appreciated by gardeners. In a single night, they can wreak havoc on a vegetable garden or flowerbed. But there's no need to resort to harmful chemicals: there are plenty of natural, simple and environmentally-friendly ways of keeping them at bay. Here are the best techniques for keeping slugs away or eliminating them, while respecting the biodiversity of your garden.
🌧️ Why are slugs invading our gardens?
Slugs love damp, mild temperatures and tender young shoots. Spring and early summer are therefore their favourite seasons, especially after rain or watering. They mainly come out at night, hide in dark, damp corners during the day, and love salads, strawberries, courgettes, basil, dahlias and other tender plants.
🌱 Create a natural slug barrier
- Wood ash: Sprinkle ash around your plants. It dries out the slugs' mucus and prevents them from advancing. Repeat after each rain.
- Shredded eggshells: Placed in a circle around your plants, they create a sharp barrier that slugs don't like to cross.
- Sawdust or coarse sand: Dry, abrasive surfaces discourage their passage. Like ash, these barriers need to be kept dry.
- Coffee grounds: Not only do they keep slugs away, they also enrich the soil. Spread generously around sensitive plants.
🐸 Attract natural predators
- Hedgehogs, toads, birds...: These are formidable slug predators. Encourage their presence by installing shelters, natural hedges, a small pile of wood or a watering hole.
- Indian runner ducks: If you're in the countryside or permaculture, these ducks are tireless slug hunters, without damaging your plantations.
🍺 The beer trap: simple but effective
Bury a small container (like a yoghurt pot) flush with the ground and fill it with beer. The smell attracts slugs, which fall into the container and drown. Change the beer every 2 days. This trap is very effective but should be used in conjunction with other techniques to limit its impact on other insects.
🌸 Repellent plants to adopt
Some plants give off odours that scare slugs away:
- Garlic
- Mint
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Eagle fern
Incorporating them into your flower beds or around the vegetable garden can act as a plant barrier.
🚫 What to avoid
- Traditional metaldehyde-based slug pellets are toxic to domestic animals and wildlife. Avoid them absolutely.
- Salt-based solutions are also very aggressive for the soil, plants and beneficial insects.
🧠 To sum up
Slugs can be a real nuisance, but there are many gentle, natural ways of getting rid of them. Focus on diversity: combine physical barriers, repellent plants, traps and the help of predators. A well-balanced garden, rich in biodiversity, is also a garden that is more resilient to slugs!