Slugs are a type of gastropod molluscs that have lost their shells in the course of evolution. Their body is a solid sole that can change its shape. The animal moves by contraction of muscles. The sense organs are located on the head and are represented by tentacles. The skin epithelium produces mucus every second, which prevents the skin from drying out, speeds up movement and, in some cases, scares off enemies.
In nature, there are more than a hundred varieties of molluscs, all of them are representatives of one of three families: Onchidiacea, Soleolifera or Sigmurethra. There are ground slugs that cause considerable damage to agricultural land.
The ideal environment for a slug is a dark place with high humidity. They breed at temperatures from 14 to 18 degrees Celsius. In a warm, rainy autumn, which was preceded by a hot, humid summer, reproduction is more intense.
In the garden or garden plot, the following can suffer from the invasion of shellfish: strawberries, strawberries,greenhouse plants (bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers), fruit trees, various types of cabbage, fresh herbs, seedling shoots.
Pest control methods
Garden slugs can be controlled by physical, chemical, mechanical and natural methods.
Using chemicals is a last resort. In this case, it will not be possible to maintain the ecological purity of plants.
Let's consider each of the described methods in more detail.
Physical methods
Manual collection is considered one of the most effective. It is better to collect snails with gloves on immediately after rain. At this time, they show maximum activity and leave their shelters. Most gardeners, having met a sticky pest, throw it over the fence. Such measures will not help to reduce its number. To increase the effectiveness of the method of dealing with slugs in the garden, they need to be sprinkled with table s alt. A pinch on the sole is enough to kill.
Get rid of annoying neighbors in the garden will help systematically mowing the grass, as well as exploring the potential shelters of animals, where they hide in dry weather. For example, if large plants like spherical arborvitae or Cossack juniper grow on a personal plot, the crown of which forms a special microclimate under it, inspectterritory for the detection of creeping pests should be twice a week. Snails readily use such places for shelter. Large zucchini leaves can be a profitable alternative.
An effective way to deal with slugs in the garden with folk remedies will be feeding poultry, such manipulations with animals are not recommended because of the risk of infection with parasites.
Mechanical Methods
To save flower beds and garden crops from the invasion of snails, you can create artificial barriers. It is known that pests do not like to crawl through porous materials - crushed shell rock, fine gravel. Another effective way is to use all kinds of baits, such as tanks with sweet juice or beer. As part of the fight against slugs in the garden plot, baits are added dropwise at ground level. They can be replaced by a bunch of grass dipped in one of the above solutions. Baits should be systematically looked through, and accumulated molluscs should be destroyed.
Additional features and activities:
- Ready-made gutters placed along the perimeter of the beds, circles filled with water - the pest will not move through the water space.
- Shedding beds around the perimeter with lime or wood ash.
- Small gravel, egg shells, broken shells to sprinkle around crops. The sharp tips will prick the abdomen and the animal will not overcome the barrier.
- Wire barriers,connected to batteries. The discharge of electric current will frighten the mollusc, and he will retreat.
Chemical method
The fight against slugs in the garden plot with chemistry is carried out using the drug "Thunderstorm" ("Meta"). At the heart of a granular agent of saturated blue color, the active substance is metaldehyde and others that attract the animal. The action of the drug is contact-intestinal, the death of snails will be almost instantaneous. It has moderately toxic properties for warm-blooded animals. "Thunderstorm" is poured in a uniform thin layer at the rate of 15 grams per 5 square meters. The tool is expensive, its use in large areas will cost a round sum. To save money, it is recommended to use it to preserve the most valuable representatives of the flora.
According to experts on the fight against slugs in the garden, the effectiveness of the product drops sharply after rain. If precipitation is planned in the near future, you should not use it. A more democratic way to deal with snails is to spray slaked lime solution on infected areas.
Biological methods
An excellent opportunity to say goodbye to slugs is to attract animals and birds that feed on gastropods to the garden. An indispensable assistant in the fight against slugs in the garden in the fall is a hedgehog. A small dark lump with a prickly back is a regular in personal plots and often settles down on them. To lure him, it is enough to leave a saucer of milk insecluded place and cover with branches.
You can attract lizards, who also prefer to feast on snails, to your territory by building a hill from a pile of stones of different sizes in a sunny place. Thrushes and starlings can be safely included in the list of crawling food lovers. The garden beetle deserves special attention. She preys on leaf-eaters, one of the most dangerous representatives of the species, capable of destroying a crop of fruits and vegetables in a matter of days.
Safe, affordable and effective ways to deal with slugs in the garden include planting special plants that repel pests. They do not tolerate the smell of garlic, so the piquant product is planted between the beds of plants that are eaten by gastropods. Here you can also add parsley, sage, bay leaf, lavender. Dried nettles and pine needles are effective as mulch.
Vinegar against slugs
Garden owners who do not want to risk the environmental friendliness of their crops and use chemicals can use folk remedies to control slugs in the garden. Vinegar is considered one of the most effective substances. Regular table vinegar will cope with creeping pests. To prepare a deadly solution, you need 65 ml of vinegar at 9% concentration and 10 liters of water. The mixture is sprayed on the deciduous part of the plants and watered on the accumulations of gastropods. During processing, it is important to ensure that the solution does not penetrate the root system. The fight against slugs in the garden plot with vinegar should be carried out at regular intervalstime. Abuse of acid can harm plants.
Mustard will quickly and effectively rid the area of snails
For representatives of the flora, mustard powder is absolutely harmless, which cannot be said about crawling creatures that leave behind characteristic shiny traces. There are several options for using spicy powder. The easiest is to sprinkle the soil around the bushes with dry powder. More complex, and therefore more effective - spraying with a solution. To prepare it in 5 liters of cool water, you need to dilute 100 grams of powder and let it brew for several hours. The best time to fight slugs in the garden with mustard is sunset in dry, calm weather. To forget about shellfish at least until the next summer season, three treatments with an interval of 4 days are enough.
Hot pepper decoction
Red pepper is known for its baking properties. Getting on the mucous membrane of the animal, it begins its destructive effect in a matter of seconds. Having smelled the pungent smell of the plant, the pests immediately leave the danger zone. To begin with, pepper pods must be rid of seeds, crushed and dried. Pour half a kilogram of dry ingredient with 10 liters of water, hold for 48 hours, bring to a boil, hold for another 48 hours. The decoction can be prepared for several uses and stored in a warm place for two to three weeks. You can spray the product with any kind of garden and garden plants. Experts recommend fighting slugs in the gardenred pepper until the flowering phase. It is enough to pour half a liter of decoction and half a glass of liquid detergent into a seven-liter bucket of water. Mix the consistency thoroughly and process the plants from the sprayer. You can repeat the event after flowering, then the solution becomes weaker. The concentration of soap and pepper decoction is halved.
Beer is a fast and economical way
The smell of intoxicating drink especially attracts snails. Near plants that are actively eaten by pests, containers (a glass jar, a plastic cup, a bottle with a wide mouth) are dug into the ground so that the edges of the walls protrude 2-3 centimeters above the ground. The container is filled with beer by 60-70% and, if possible, equipped with protection against pets and unforeseen pollution. It is necessary to replace the foam in the tank at least once every 3 days until the pests completely disappear from the site.
Needles
Mulching beds with a large layer of needles is an effective method against gastropods. Long prickly needles will interfere with the movement of the mollusk, and the rich smell will scare away. A nice bonus will be rotted needles - one of the best organic fertilizers.
If there are no coniferous trees nearby, tobacco or oak leaves, as well as dry sawdust, are suitable for mulching the beds.
Prevention of garden slugs
Sustainable gardening is one of the main conditions in this case. To prevent the occurrence of mollusks onIn the household plot, it is necessary to introduce technologies that increase productivity, improve soil structure, and the correct selection of crop shifts. In the garden, all work must be done in a timely manner, you can not do without maintaining hygiene on the site, attracting natural enemies of pests.
Creating uncomfortable conditions for the life of slugs. When digging up the ground, you should destroy egg clutches, systematically update the mulch layer, remove stones, boards and other items unnecessary on the site.
