[hollierose]

I keep finding slugs in my garden. They hide underneath the leaves and my friend told me I should get rid of them because they are damaging to my plants. Is this true and if so how do I control and get rid of them?

[kay]

Originally Posted by hollierose

I keep finding slugs in my garden. They hide underneath the leaves and my friend told me I should get rid of them because they are damaging to my plants. Is this true and if so how do I control and get rid of them?

Some slugs eat dead vegetation, some eat live plants, some even eat other slugs. They are difficult to control; if you haven't noticed damage to your plants, stop worrying. Trying to eliminate pests ""just in case" may cause other problems.

[tabbycat]

Originally Posted by kay

Some slugs eat dead vegetation, some eat live plants, some even eat other slugs. They are difficult to control; if you haven't noticed damage to your plants, stop worrying. Trying to eliminate pests ""just in case" may cause other problems.

Slugs do damage to plants, I use the slug bell,it's efficient and attractive ( lots of different patterns and colours) it works for a long time as it's completely waterproof too.

[echinosum]

Originally Posted by hollierose

I keep finding slugs in my garden. They hide underneath the leaves and my friend told me I should get rid of them because they are damaging to my plants. Is this true and if so how do I control and get rid of them?

Slugs and snails are everywhere, and no one tries to eradicate them from their whole garden (and in my experience "slug damage" is more often caused by snails). There are only a few plants they do serious damage to. So rather than eradicating the entire slug and snail population, we aim to protect those few vulnerable plants, such as vegetable seedlings.

How you do it is a matter of taste. A regular scattering of slug pellets during the vulnerable period is very effective. Unfortunately pellet-poisoned slugs make birds and other animals who eat them ill. So some people don't like using the pellets. There are some less damaging chemicals avaliable, but they are generally more expensive and less effective. I have found that a mulch of used coffee grounds is effective in protecting one especially vulnerable plant. Some people swear by beer traps. etc. etc.

[hollierose]

Originally Posted by echinosum

Slugs and snails are everywhere, and no one tries to eradicate them from their whole garden (and in my experience "slug damage" is more often caused by snails). There are only a few plants they do serious damage to. So rather than eradicating the entire slug and snail population, we aim to protect those few vulnerable plants, such as vegetable seedlings.

How you do it is a matter of taste. A regular scattering of slug pellets during the vulnerable period is very effective. Unfortunately pellet-poisoned slugs make birds and other animals who eat them ill. So some people don't like using the pellets. There are some less damaging chemicals avaliable, but they are generally more expensive and less effective. I have found that a mulch of used coffee grounds is effective in protecting one especially vulnerable plant. Some people swear by beer traps. etc. etc.

Ah, I wouldn't want to make the birds or anything that eats the slugs ill, so I won't poison them.. I will probably try the slug bell. Hopefully it works just as well for me, and thanks everyone for the advice.

And I won't worry as much, either, thanks.