What are the alternatives to slug pellets?

With the weather getting warmer and the days getting longer, many of us will be enjoying our gardens at their blooming best right about now. But spring also signals the emergence of an old foe...

Slugs come out of hibernation during early spring causing a number of issues in the garden as they munch their way through vegetation and foliage to regain their strength. If slugs are making a meal of your outdoor space, the news that slug pellets have now been banned in the UK may fill you with dread.

With their environmentally damaging ingredients, the ban on slug pellets is long overdue and actually paves the way for clever alternatives to rid your garden of its troublesome slug population. Here are a few of the best alternatives to slug pellets!

Create slug and slug-free zones

The best way to protect your garden from slugs in the long term is by creating a healthier ecosystem. By designating slug and slug-free zones you can control, rather than eliminate (which is pretty impossible anyway), its slug population.

Plant wisely to protect the foliage that is most vulnerable to slug attack. Position seedlings in cold frames and raised beds lined with fabric or mesh at the base to prevent slugs from gaining entry.

Creating an area in your garden that slugs will be attracted to can also provide a great distraction. A shady corner laced with old leaves, bread, bran and oats will make the perfect slug feeding ground.

Change your watering habits

Unbeknown to most, when you feed your plants correlates directly to your garden’s slug presence. Slugs love damp, dark conditions, so watering your plants in the evening will give them a readymade, perfectly moist path straight to your plants. By watering your plants each morning, you can ensure the soil has time to dry to ward off slugs.

Just add a touch of copper

Slugs hate copper; in fact, if a slug comes into contact with copper they’re rewarded with a subtle electric shock for their efforts. This makes some carefully placed copper rings particularly effective deterrents.

Place copper rings around the base of your plants, being sure to bury them deeply as well as have a portion of the ring protruding from the soil.

Customise your planting scheme

There are many plant varieties that are actually resistant to slugs. Hardy geraniums, roses, fuchsia, ferns, hellebores and lavender are just some of the plants that naturally repel slugs, and they’ll work wonders for your garden.

Need expert help dealing with those pesky slugs? Find a gardener today!