There is no enemy of the British garden quite like the humble slug. Left unchecked, slugs will eat your vegetables and ruin your flower plants, but just as annoying is that some of the solutions, like toxic pesticides, can be damaging to other harmless wildlife – and to your garden. So, how do you kill slugs for good and stop them coming back? 

Read on to find out how to get rid of slugs and how to stop slugs eating plants once and for all.

Remove Slugs By Hand

The simplest solution is to get rid of the slugs yourself. After a rainy night, put on your coat and gardening gloves and head out into the garden to collect any slugs you spot munching on your plants. But don’t worry, you don’t have to kill slugs en masse; you can always take them to a grassy area (far away from your precious plants, of course) and “rehome” them there!

If this is your only way of managing the slug population, you’ll have to commit yourself to a manual weekly slug clearout. As such, this isn’t necessarily the most efficient method. But it does stop them from eating your plants and flowers for the time being.

Set Slug Traps

Far easier and more effective is to set slug traps, or beer traps, to be precise. Slugs love the sweet smell of fermented beer, so by setting up a simple trap, you can lure them away from your plants.

To create a beer trap, follow these easy steps:

• Bury a shallow jar or  plastic cup near your affected plants, leaving the rim level with the ground

• Fill the container with beer (the cheaper, the better) and let it sit overnight. 

• Wait for the slugs to fall in!

A few beer traps can significantly reduce the slug population in your garden. Another plus side is that you don’t need expensive or toxic garden supplies; just a container and some beer.

Organic Slug Deterrent (SlugLess)

SlugLess Slug & Snail Deterrent is a natural, chemical-free way to protect your plants. Made from organic British straw, it’s completely non-toxic for people and pets. It creates a dry, spiky surface around your plants that irritates slugs and snails, preventing them from feeding on your flowers and veggies.

The pellets expand when watered, forming a protective barrier that also helps with moisture retention, weed control and improving soil structure. Unlike other products, SlugLess won’t deplete your soil’s nitrogen, making it safe for your garden.

Easy to use, simply scatter the pellets around your plants and let the rain do the work. It even smells nice, with a pleasant and earthy aroma!

Attract Natural Slug Predators

One of the best ways to control slugs is to encourage their natural predators to visit your garden. They do all the work of getting rid of the slugs, and you do your bit for local wildlife – it’s a win-win.

Birds like thrushes, robins, magpies, owls and jays love to snack on slugs, large and small. To make your garden more inviting for slug-eating birds, set up bird feeders, bird baths and nesting boxes. Larger animals like frogs, toads, hedgehogs and even foxes are also excellent at controlling slugs. Adding a small wildlife pond is great for amphibians and bigger animals.

The best thing about inviting wildlife to your garden is that it’s a long-term solution. You won’t have to keep reapplying slug repellent or poking around in the rain, finding slugs to get rid of manually. Let nature do the work for you!

Slug Nematodes

Slug nematodes are a natural and effective way to get rid of slugs permanently. These microscopic worms target slugs both above and below ground, stopping them from feeding on your plants within a week. 

One application gives you six weeks of control, and it’s completely safe for children, pets, and wildlife. Simply apply when your soil is moist, ideally in the cooler parts of the day, and they’ll get to work! They’re naturally found in gardens; all you’re doing by adding more is topping up what’s already there.

A packet covers 100 square metres, so it’s great for medium to large gardens. Just make sure to use the whole packet straight away as it’s a live product with a short shelf life. You’ll find full instructions included to make it as easy as possible.

Set Up Barriers

Setting up physical barriers to stop slugs in their tracks is the oldest trick in the book, and for good reason. It really can work. Here are some effective slug barriers you can use to protect your plants:

• Copper tape: Slugs dislike crossing copper due to a mild reaction when they touch it.

• Pine bark mulch, sharp grit or crushed eggshells: Sharp textures are uncomfortable for slugs to crawl across and can be a strong enough deterrent to convince them to leave your plants alone.

• Salt: A classic slug deterrent. Just avoid putting too much directly on your soil, as it can damage your plants.

How to Get Rid of Slugs with Fothergill’s

Aside from the above, there are many more ways to control slugs. Consider planting garlic bulbs or chive seeds around your garden, for example - slugs don’t like the smell. 

Or, for more ideas, take a look at Fothergill’s complete range of slug control products. We stock everything from deterrent sprays (ready-to-spray and concentrated) to mulch mats, chip mulch, and even Darlac Multi-Pick grabbers so you can get rid of slugs without getting your hands dirty!

For more pest control and plant-growing advice, check out our gardening blog.