How to get rid of Slugs

Slugs can be huge garden pests especially for those that grow lettuce, beans, peas and a large variety of other vegetables and flowers. There are many ways to get rid of slugs, some naturally and others chemically. The key is to getting rid of the slugs and snails before they cause too much damage to your garden. I have provided multiple methods for natural repellents for organic gardening and chemical methods.

Getting rid of Slugs Naturally and Organically:

• Apply pea gravel, broken egg shells or sand around the base of the plants (but not touching or packed up against the plants) that you want to protect, about 2" deep. Slugs do not like to climb over these things and sand will also discourage weed growth.
• Place a half-full beer can(s) near the area that you want to protect. The slugs will attract to the beer instead of your plants.
• Go out every evening, just when it starts to get dark or every morning, just when it starts to get light - these are when most slugs are out - and pick off all the slugs from your garden. In the daytime, slugs tend to sleep under garden containers and terra-cotta pots, if you have these, lift them up and you will probably find the slugs underneath.
• Apply copper plating to your raised garden beds. Slugs don't like it and gives them a mild shock from crawling on it.

Getting rid of Slugs Chemically:

• In a 1-quart spray bottle, mix 1 1/2 cups non-sudsing ammonia and 1 1/2 cups water. Spray in areas where slug damage is evident. This will dissolve baby slugs on contact while the ammonia will break down into the form of nitrogen and feed the plants.
• Or you can buy Corey's Slug Bait or Ortho Eco-Sense Slug and Snail Killer.