Pests & diseases › Slugs & Snails
Slugs & Snails
Soft-bodied mollusks that leave silvery slime trails and chew ragged holes in leaves overnight.
Symptoms
- Ragged holes in leaves with smooth edges
- Silvery slime trails at sunrise
- Seedlings vanishing overnight
- Holes chewed into strawberries, squash, potatoes
Lifecycle
Active any month above freezing, worst in cool damp weather April–October.
What to do
- Nightly hunts after rain — drop into salty water
- Beer traps sunk to soil level
- Iron phosphate baits (Sluggo) — pet-safe organic
- Copper tape around pots and raised beds
- Diatomaceous earth (renew after rain)
If it's bad
- Metaldehyde baits — restricted in many states; iron phosphate is safer
Stop it coming back
- Water in morning, not evening
- Clear hiding spots: long grass, planks, upturned pots
- Encourage toads, snakes, ground beetles, ducks
Crops it goes for
Apricot
Arugula
Asparagus
Basil
Bok Choy
Brussels Sprouts
Celeriac
Celery
Chives
Cilantro
Collard Greens
Cranberry
Dill
Elderberry
Endive & Escarole
Fennel
Fig
Fingerling Potato
Globe Artichoke
Gooseberry
Kiwi (Fuzzy)
Kiwi (Hardy Kiwiberry)
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lettuce
Mulberry
Mustard Greens
Nectarine
Okra
Oregano
Parsley
Parsnip
Passionfruit
Pawpaw
Pomegranate
Quince
Radicchio
Rhubarb
Rosemary
Rutabaga
Sage
Shallot
Strawberry
Swiss Chard
Thyme
Tomatillo
Turnip
Plan the plot, track every sowing, cook the harvest
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.