Even if you don’t see a slime trail or a plant half eaten, you likely have slugs and snails crawling about in your garden. February should be called Snail & Slug Month, as this is their absolute favorite time of the year. The weather has moderated a bit, the ground is soaked from all the rain, and there is plenty of natural material (dropped leaves, twigs and branches from pruning, overgrown weeds and grass) providing cover. It’s a slugfest!
There are plenty of products* you can buy to rid your garden of these pests, and of course there are beer traps, copper wire barriers, and diatomaceous earth, but the cleanest and most effective approach is just picking them off with a gloved hand. If you are fortunate enough to have chickens or ducks, toss those pesky slugs and snails in their path and they will gobble them up with more excitement than you can imagine! If there’s no clucking or quacking in your yard, you can dump them in a bucket of soapy water.
In our haste to rid the garden of these pests, it’s important to remember that the presence of some of these critters is inevitable and quite natural. If they’re not eating you out of house and home, you might consider leaving them for the birds to snatch and eat. As I always say: “The critters own the land, we are just visiting.”
*Please, please do the birds, the bees, your pets, and the planet a favor and do NOT use any kind of poison! Poisonous products of any kind or amount, have no place in the garden!!
Book your 30-minute free consultation now by calling Kathleen at Gardens by La Voy.
707.753.1445
