Armed with thousands of slimy teeth (radula), the voracious slugs of the Pacific Northwest can REALLY devour your plants, especially those tender veggie starts that you JUST planted!
Molbak’s recommends using Sluggo (iron phoshphate) to control them. With the baby slugs that damage leafy crops like lettuce, it’s best to put on the gloves and hand pick them! Optimum slug-picking time is after dark, with a flashlight. Beer traps* can also work well for eradicating these little guys.
Lastly, slugs like a dark, moist hang out spot. Simply lay a piece of scrap lumber or cardboard on the ground near where plant damage occurs. After just a few hours you will find slugs hiding underneath—at that point they are easily dispatched from the garden.
GOOD NEWS: Slugs don’t like fuzzy or spiny leaves (it hurts their tiny teefs!) or those with a waxy coating. And certain plants just don’t taste good to them—like onions and arugula!
12 slug-resistant perennials:
Astilbe
Bergenia
Catmint
Daylily
Crocosmia
Euphorbia
Ferns
Fuchsia
Hellebore
Lamb’s Ears
Lavender
Peony
10 slug-resistant veggies:
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Beets*
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Chives
Cucumbers*
Endive
Fennel
Garlic
Melons*
Onions
Peas*
Potatoes
Radicchio
Radish*
RHubarb
Tomatoes
* seedlings may be susceptible
*How to make a beer trap.
- You’ll need a clean yogurt cup or other small, plastic container (preferably shallow).
- Fill the container about ½ full of beer (use cheap stuff—don’t sacrifice your local microbrew).
- Sink the container into the soil near where the slugs are doing the most damage. You want the lip of the container to be just above the surface of the soil.
Caveats: if it rains heavily, you’ll want to dump the container and refill with beer.
Disclaimer: results vary, so it’s wise to experiment and see what works best in your own garden.
