A Friendly Foe

They ravage our vegetables, and feast on our flowers, it is difficult to think of slugs as friends. But, surprisingly, not all slugs are foes. Only a few varieties of slug, like the grey field slug that plagues the agriculture industry, are invasive pests.

As worms do, friendly slugs break organic matter down into something that can add nutrients to your soil. One man’s slug is also another creature’s supper; some animals can use slugs as a source of food. A wildlife friendly garden can reduce the slug population and support the ecosystem.

Rather than rushing for the saltshaker, copper barrier, or slug pellets that aren’t environmentally friendly try some more slug friendly methods of repelling them. Rosemary and sage, coffee grounds, and damp cardboard repel slugs. You can even lure them into a specific spot in your garden with some scraps of leafy veg or tasty fruit bound for the compost heap, then pick them up and move them on from where they’ve congregated. That’s all for now. Hopefully we’ve left you with a more positive view of slugs.