Do you have a slug infestation? Or have you noticed more snails popping up in your garden than usual? You’re not alone, due to the heavy rain, many Aussies are facing the same issue.
WATCH: How to make a sturdy snail rocker with Adam
Dieter Hochuli, a professor of ecology at the University of Sydney, shared that it’s because the rain is ideal for the garden pests.
Sharron Pfueller, chief executive of Sustainable Gardening Australia stated that “they’re very keen on soft, tender plants, and in particular young vegetables.”
Professor Hochuli agrees, saying you can expect them to try anything from fruit and vegetable plants to ornamentals, though they don’t tend to like native plants.
So if you do have any prized lettuces or blushing tomatoes in the garden, you might want to double-check they’re still there in tip-top condition.
Pfueller warned, “If someone were to ignore an infestation, they’d have almost no success in growing seedlings, because [snails and slugs] do propagate fairly quickly.”
Best way to get rid of slugs and snails
Experts don’t recommend using commercial snail baits or insecticides due to the potential risks they pose to other wildlife.
Instead, they recommend trying what’s called “cultural control” which basically is “going out at night with a torch and plucking them off” Professor Hochuli shared.
With this method, Dr Pfueller recommends disposing the slugs and snails in a container with dishwashing detergent and water in it. As just squashing them in the garden isn’t ideal, because their eggs can still yield babies.
Some other methods include:
- Letting chickens loose in the garden but be conscious that chooks like vegies too.
- Putting beer or a yeast extract spread in a container and placing it in problem areas, the yeast will draw them in.
- Strategically placing onions, chives and garlic around the edges of your crops.
- Planting your seedlings inside upcycled toilet rolls.
- Lining your garden bed with copper tape that shocks snails and slugs as they try to creep over. Or trying making a simple trap, click here for the tutorial.
- Putting wood ash, shavings, crushed eggshells or mulch around the edge of your garden or specific plants.
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