Comments on: How to get rid of slugs in the garden: 8 organic control methods

By: Jeff

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:35:31 +0000

For years I had a problem with the first two embryonic leaves (cotyledons) being eaten from my cucumber, squash, and watermelon seedlings before any true leaves sprouted, leaving only a dying stem. I was loosing between 75% and 100% of my seedlings. Finally I went out at night to see if I found anything eating them and it was slugs! I had always assumed it was some type of insect and had been spraying Sevin without any success.

I purchased some Garden Safe Slug & Snail Bait to see it that got rid of them. First I tested to see if the slugs would even eat it by dropping a granule out in front of a slug on my deck. The slug crawled up to it and ate it quite enthusiastically. I could even drop granules off to the side and slugs would change direction to go eat them. Good first sign so I spread granules all over my garden, yard, and deck. To my surprise, in two weeks I almost never saw any slugs. I went from seeing dozens of them all over my deck and the side of my house at any one time to seeing maybe one or two. So I continued to refresh the granules every couple of weeks for a few weeks and never saw any slugs after that. Individual slugs must stay in a relatively small territory as this first treatment cycle lasted into the next spring. So now I spread the granules around once or twice a year for maintenance and I NEVER loose the leaves from my seedlings and almost never see a slug. This was by far the most effective solution to a garden pest problem I have ever experienced.

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By: Christa

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 03:31:04 +0000

Ducks are awesome and easy to herd. They will eat all slugs then go after amphibians so be careful.

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By: Linda Alba

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 17:21:12 +0000

My big problem is snails. Within a week of planting my peppers, the leaves were almost bare. At first, I, and the 2 year old that I watch, would 1st thing in the morning go on a snail hunt which she absolutely loved. She’s the best darn snail finder EVER! But now I’ve begun using the Garden Safe slug and snail bait which works fairly well. We still enjoy going on our snail hunts but don’t find half the number of snails that we used to. Then on to her helping me find all the dog poop. She loves it! It makes her feel very important when she finds something : D

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By: Craig Carmichael

Mon, 31 May 2021 06:58:49 +0000

I bought a bag of iron phosphate slug bait. It didn’t seem to have much effect. Later I couldn’t find the bag. Next year I bought another bag, with similarly little effect. I found the first bag hidden under a shelf – empty! I went to grab my second bag but it was already empty too.

Apparently safe for mammals. Mice had eaten it all. Probably ate what I sprinkled out on the ground, too, explaining why it didn’t do much about the slugs.

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By: Christina

Thu, 27 May 2021 12:41:06 +0000

In reply to Norma Bronder.

How do you apply them?

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By: Natasha

Tue, 04 May 2021 04:47:29 +0000

My husband built raised planter boxes to deter the slugs but it didn’t stop them at all. I put a generous line of cornmeal around the bottom edges of the boxes, around plants I want to protect and make strategically placed piles that slugs will flock to. They seem to love the taste of cornmeal and I’ve seen them change directions and head towards a newly placed pile. It distracts them from my plants while I try to reduce their numbers. Cornmeal is safe and inexpensive and will last quite a few days but you do have to reapply after a heavy rain.

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By: Sheilagh Peters

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 00:58:02 +0000

In reply to Judith.

Slug eggs are tiny, about the size of a coloured plastic pinhead and coloured similar to a plastic milk jug. You’ll find them under leaves, between bricks or anywhere that’s protected in the spring. I take them by the spoonful and put them in the garbage so they don’t spread. Still, I’ve got issues!

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By: Sue Turner

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 23:21:25 +0000

I’m in Australia and currently have a massive slug problem and so do my neighbours. I’ve been going out every other morning when it’s wet with dew, with the pooper scooper picking them up off the lawn – they seem to gather on dandelion flowers. I’ve collected over 700 over the last few weeks! I’m going to resort to dishes of beer near my vegetables. I figure I will eventually make an impact on their numbers if I keep collecting and drowning them!

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By: Leslie Adamson

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 16:49:35 +0000

Living in Nova Scotia gave the slugs in my large garden a refreshing cool down and dewy moisture every night. Once I realized I had a very big problem with slugs I tried a variety of organic methods with limited success to keep the numbers down. But it was two slugs chewing on a poor worm that gave me an insight that helped my plants. I poked both of the slugs with a nail. When I came back to that spot about an hour later, the worm was gone and there were other slugs that had arrived for a slug food fest. I didn’t realize slugs would eat other slugs. So from then on I would go out at dusk armed with a sharp little knife, poking every slug I could find, and knowing that some of my plants might be left alone that night. From time to time I felt badly about this method, but in truth most of the other methods are not pleasant either. And I never forgot seeing that poor worm writhing around and unable to escape.

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By: Jessica Walliser

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 00:58:30 +0000

In reply to Eleanor.

Sounds like it might be a geranium bud worm, but difficult to say since I don’t know what flowers you’re growing. Here’s more on geranium bud worms: https://www.hobbyfarms.com/geranium-budworms-troublesome-pest-march/

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