Gardening - Q&A: Controlling Slugs

ArcaMax Publishing > Home & Garden > Gardening

Your email address is safe with us. View our Privacy policy.

Gardening hangman:

Try our FREE ArcaMax Gardening Hangman Game

The Funnies:

Get free jokes, comics, and more! See them all on
our funnies page

Games:

Fun online games, quizzes, hangman and more on the games page

Q&A: Controlling Slugs

National Gardening Association

Question: I've been having major trouble with slugs this spring eating and destroying my entire sunflower crop. What to do? Eggshells, copper stripping, saucers of beer, and I've heard about Fortisan (aluminum sulfate found in the UK), now what? Britt Uecker Manistee, MI

Answer: It sounds like you have heard of all the remedies there is for slugs. All the home remedies will work for a time, but need to be reapplied periodically. The copper strips around the bed are the best control I know of, as long as you remove all the slugs inside the bed first! There are a number of chemical controls such as the ones you've mentioned, but you need to be careful about kids and pets being around the area where you spread the slug bait. Generally, remove mulch and and objects slugs can hide under, cultivate the soil frequently and use raised beds to dry it out and weed regularly. Stick with it and your sunflowers will survive.

Content provided by the National Gardening Association