Slugs are the bane of gardeners’ lives, regularly topping surveys of garden pests. They munch the new growth of precious plants, demolish seedlings overnight and munch irregularly-shaped holes in leaves, stems, flowers, tubers and bulbs and potatoes, leaving their silvery slime trails behind.
Slugs are active for most of the year but are a particular problem in spring, when there’s plenty of young growth for them to eat. They are mostly active after dark, especially when it’s warm and damp. In hot, dry weather they bury themselves in the soil or hide in cool, dark places to avoid dehydrating.
There are over 40 species of slugs in the UK. Not all slugs eat live plants, however – many of the larger ones eat decaying or dead plant material and they are an important part of the composting process.
Despite your best efforts, some losses to slugs are inevitable. Accept that your garden is never going to be slug free, and find ways to work around this.
Make sure you prioritise the protection of the most vulnerable plants – all seedlings, new growth on most herbaceous plants, and all parts of especially susceptible plants such as delphiniums, hostas and dahlias. If you’re growing plants in pots, make sure there isn’t a ‘bridge’ of leaves from one plant to another, as slugs can travel from pot to pot this way.
Sow extra seeds so you have seedlings waiting in the wings to replace any that are eaten by slugs, and grow more than you need so you still have some crops left over after a slug attack. And add plenty of slug-resistant plants (see our list below) to keep damage to a minimum.
There are many options for controlling slugs. The best approach is to combine several methods, starting early in spring. Here are some ways to controlling slugs in your garden, some of them recommended in a survey of readers of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine.
Getting Rid of Slugs on American Beautyberry Shrubs: A Comprehensive Guide
As a gardener, I know how frustrating it can be to nurture a beautiful plant like the American beautyberry shrub, only to have it ravaged by slimy slugs! These pests can quickly damage the foliage and fruits of this prized ornamental shrub if left unchecked. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the best methods for getting rid of slugs on your American beautyberry shrubs, based on the latest research and my own experience in the garden.
Identifying Slug Damage
Before you can tackle your slug problem, it’s important to recognize the telltale signs of their damage. Look for irregular holes in leaves, silvery slime trails on foliage, and partially eaten fruits. The holes slugs leave behind have jagged edges, unlike the smooth edges of insect damage. Catching slug damage early allows you to take action before they destroy your shrub.
Natural Predators
One environmentally friendly solution is to welcome natural slug predators into your yard. Frogs, toads, ground beetles, birds, and ducks all feed on these pests. You can attract them by creating a diverse garden with varied plant heights, water sources like a pond, and hiding spots like rock piles. A healthy ecosystem keeps slug populations in check naturally.
Handpicking at Night
Handpicking slugs is simple yet effective. Head outside when slugs are most active – in early morning or evening. Gently pick them off your shrubs and drop them into a container of soapy water to kill them. You can also put them in a sealed plastic bag and freeze them or relocate far away from your garden. Just be sure they don’t end up back on your plants!
Beer TrapsBeer traps lure slugs to their demise. Bury a small container like a jar lid near affected shrubs and fill with cheap beer. The yeasty scent will attract slugs overnight. They’ll crawl in and drown. Empty and refill traps daily. To boost effectiveness elevate traps on bricks so slugs can access the openings easily.
Copper Barrier TapeCopper reacts with the slime slugs secrete, so they avoid crossing it Wrap strips of copper tape around the base of shrubs to create a barrier slugs won’t cross. Push the tape into soil a bit so it makes full contact Overlap the ends well and replace tape yearly as copper wears down. This won’t harm plants or beneficial bugs!
Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural silica dust that dehydrates and kills soft-bodied insects like slugs. Gently sprinkle a thin layer around your shrubs, reapplying after rain or watering. Avoid breathing in the dust while applying. Though nontoxic for mammals, DE can irritate lungs if inhaled. Wear a mask when using.
Iron Phosphate Slug Bait
When other methods fail to provide adequate control, try an organic iron phosphate bait like Sluggo. Scatter pellets around affected plants, keeping them away from edibles. The phosphate attracts slugs but is safe for kids, pets, birds, and beneficial insects when used as directed. Reapply after heavy rain or irrigation.
Good Cultural PracticesPrevention is key to avoiding major slug infestations. Water plants at the base to keep foliage dry reducing appeal to slugs. Remove plant debris and thick mulch around shrubs to eliminate moist hiding spots. Check for slugs routinely and address problems before they get out of hand. Healthy thriving plants better withstand some pest damage.
An Integrated Approach
For best success, employ two or more methods together. For example, handpick daily and set out beer traps at night. Or use copper barriers and bait simultaneously. It often takes an integrated approach to reduce slugs to an acceptable level. Be patient and consistent – with diligence you can enjoy a lush, productive American beautyberry shrub without excessive slug damage.
Create a slug zone
In a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine survey, the most popular approach to dealing with slugs was to go out with a torch after dark to pick them off plants, bucket of salt water at the ready. The best time to do this is two hours after dusk, so this means late nights in the height of summer. You might prefer to wear a pair of gloves to carry out this task. Our experts have tested a range of different types to find the best garden gloves, two of which would be suitable for removing slugs:
To make the job easier, you can deliberately attract slugs to a dark, shady corner using something they’re attracted to – old veg leaves, dried cat food, bread rolls, oats or bran. As they congregate for a feed at night, swoop in and collect them.
Alternatively, check slugs’ hiding places during the day. They hide anywhere that’s cool, dark and moist – under plant pots, pot saucers, tread boards on the veg plot and garden furniture. Some BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine readers also found that the old trick of using grapefruit skins or bricks can also be effective – slugs hide under them during the day. Check under these places regularly and remove any slugs you find. Slugs can also lurk under dead plant material in borders. Clear it away and it to the compost heap – the slugs will continue the composting process there.
Also look out for clusters of slug eggs in spring and autumn – slugs can lay them in batches of 50 at a time. They look like translucent white balls, a few millimetres across. They’re often found under plant pots, stones, in moist pockets of soil and in other cool, dark, places. Leave them out for the birds, or squash them as soon as you spot them. In spring, rake over the surface of the soil to expose them, leaving them for centipedes and birds.
Sprinkling salt does kill slugs, but it is also harmful to plants.
Create a slug-free zone
It’s impossible to eliminate slugs from your whole garden, but you could create a small zone that you aim to keep slug free. Young seedlings and plants are by far the most vulnerable to slug attack, so prioritise the area where they grow, such as the area in and around a cold frame or a raised bed. Place fabric or mesh at the base of your pots before filling them with compost, so that slugs can’t gain entry from underneath them. Delay planting out seedlings until they have reached a decent size – they are more likely to withstand slug damage. Don’t overfeed young plants in spring, as this can create lush, leafy growth that slugs love.
Then deploy a number of the methods outlined below to keep the area free of slugs.
Growing American Beautyberry – Native Edible
FAQ
How do I permanently get rid of slugs?
Can slugs kill shrubs?
How do I get rid of slugs in my garden?
Prune lower leaves and branches to allow more light into the plant and soil. Plant slug-resistant plants, such as ferns, peonies, and lamb’s ears, though there’s a long list of annuals, perennials, and ornamental grasses to consider for shade and partial shade gardens. Focus on landscaping with trees and shrubs, which slugs tend to leave alone.
Do slugs eat berries?
Slugs in the garden hide under leaves in moist pockets and will eat almost anything they come into contact with. Garden slugs are especially damaging to vegetable and berry crops because they eat both the leaves and the fruit.
Can beautyberry berries reseed?
Beautyberry shrubs reseed themselves readily, and the Asian species are considered invasive in some areas. You can easily grow these shrubs from seeds. Collect the seeds from very ripe berries and grow them in individual containers. Keep them protected for the first year, and plant them outdoors the following winter.
Are beautyberries invasive in Alabama?
American beautyberry plants ( Callicarpa americana) grow natively in the U.S.; therefore, they are not invasive but can have weedlike properties. Non-native varieties like Callicarpadichotoma, native to Asia, are considered invasive in Alabama. There are several types of American beautyberry ( Callicarpa americana ), including: