I have never liked slugs. They are creepy, crawly, and slimy. But I have a new hostility towards these disgusting creatures because they wreak havoc on a garden. Who knew that such small creatures could create such a problem? They have especially seemed to love our lettuce. Our first round of lettuce is done for the season, but we just planted another crop and are hoping for a nice fall harvest.
Thankfully after a little research, we found a solution: beer traps. Now I know that alcohol is a controversial subject. I am not going to share my views on it because that’s not my job. But the one thing I will say is that beer attracts and kills slugs.
Basically you take a shallow container, like the bottom of a plastic cup, and fill it with beer. The slugs are attracted to the smell of it, but in the process of trying to drink it, they end up drowning. It is a very effective and pesticide-free way to kill slugs.
MacKenzie
I can’t stand slugs either. Thanks for the handy hint!
Anonymous
I grow lettuce in containers up on a deck. So far the slugs haven’t learned to climb stairs. We have slugs that can grow 3″ long (you don’t go out at night in bare feet…). Slugs are a beneficial part of the food chain so I don’t try to kill them. I plant wisely so I don’t have to.
Ellie
Yikes! 3 inch slugs!
Anonymous
Be very careful if you use any commercial poisonous slug bait, as it will kill any other animal that might ingest it. Or kids…
Regina
Do they have a preferred brand? Just kidding but I totally agree with you. Slugs are gross and would not appreciate thinking I’m blessing them with my garden produce!
MarriedUK
I once took a bet to bite a slug… because I was big, bad and bold, I did it. Urgh… I can still remember the feeling in my mouth… 🤢🤢🤢🤢
Ellie
Oh my! You’re brave.
MarriedUK
I was about 6… it was a bad idea!
CM
Don’t put them in your mouth. Some slugs are poisonous.
Anonymous
Yes, beer traps are very effective. I just buy the cheapest beer I can find and throw out the traps regularly and fill them up again with new beer. If you leave the traps for too long the dead slugs will start to ferment (gross). Another thing I did this year was buy a pair of long scissors and go out at night with a flashlight and cut those who I could spot in two. Also quite gross but effective.
Kristy
I second the beer traps! They crawl in and drown. Also shaking some salt on them kills them (sounds like torture so I could never do that, yikes!) My girls and I went to my moms and collected up a ton of snails that were eating her plants, fed them to the chickens.