How do I keep slugs and snails away from my plants?
Remove hiding places, use barriers and traps, and hunt them in the evening.
Slugs and snails feed at night and in damp weather. A mix of methods works best.
Look for ragged holes in leaves and silvery slime trails.
Reduce hiding places
Clear debris, boards and dense ground cover where they shelter.
Barriers and traps
Crushed eggshells or copper tape can deter them, and shallow beer traps catch them. Check traps often.
Hand collecting
Go out after dark with a torch and remove them. Encouraging birds, frogs and ground beetles also helps. Be careful with slug pellets, as some are harmful to pets and wildlife.
More in Gardening & Growing
Mini-courses
Recommended for you
1 creditRestore Your Houseplants to Full Health
Learn how to systematically identify and correct common plant health issues to prevent future leaf yellowing.
1 creditDesign a Productive Year-Round Planting Schedule
Create a precise gardening calendar to maximise your harvests based on local weather patterns.
1 creditFollow a Step-by-Step Rose Pruning Process
Follow this practical guide to pruning roses to ensure healthy growth and abundant flowering cycles.