How do you eliminate snails and slugs from your garden?

Question

Please help if you can they are eating all of my vegetables and I am getting sick to my stomach killing them every night. Thanks

Answer 1

beer in a shallow pan for them to crawl into.
also for misquotes put some dish washing liquid in a white bowl, they will come to that.

Answer 2

Strategy 1: Cultural Control - Reduce Favorable Habitat - Since slugs require moist soil in which to lay their eggs and cool, moist, sheltered sites in order to hide during the day, try to open up the garden and landscape to more sun and air penetration. Often, gardens and plants have been over mulched. Mulch should not be applied thicker than three inches and a uniform layer of one inch is desirable. This provides some protection from rapid drying to the plants but does not retain excessive soil moisture. Since slugs often like wilted or decaying plant material, do not place weed remains or fresh grass clippings in the garden. Place these into a composting area which is constantly turned for more rapid compost formation. Likewise, remove plant remains and leaves in the fall.

Strategy 2: Trapping - The use of beer, near-beer or any fermenting food (such as a mixture of sugar, yeast and water) put in cups in the ground will surprise one in the number of slugs that fall into the cups and drown. This method is helpful but still has a lot to be desired. In fact, commercial slug baiting stations can be purchased for the same purpose. Some people say the non-alcoholic beer works best!

Strategy 3: Commercial Slug Baits - Slug baits are probably the most consistent and efficient method of slug control. Several commercially available baits or pellets are available which contain a molluscicide, a poison which kills snails and slugs. Since these poisons may be toxic to pets, fish and humans, carefully use the products as directed on the labels.

Answer 3

The first answer is pretty good, but instead of the poison bait, I would use one of the iron phosphate based products. Bayer makes one I use. The snails and slugs are attracted to it and eat it. The can't digest it so it keeps them full and they starve to death as a result. It's not poisonous to other critters.

The beer thing is just a pain in the ***, plus you have to deal with dead slugs and snails floating in the beer.

Answer 4

All of the above work but simplest (and it works the best) is to get yourself a pair of pet ducks. They love snails and slugs and do very little damage to a garden, specially the smaller varieties.

Answer 5

Take a small container which is low enough along the sides for them to crawl in and fill it with beer. The slugs will fall into the beer and die. The salt is what they want and what kills them.

Answer 6

If you pour beer in a pan and leave it in the garden area. they will come and die in the pan.