Is there anyway of stopping the slugs and snails eating my lettuces with out killing them?

Question

I don't wanna kill them with slug pellets or anything. Wondering if there is an alternative that would just repel them.

Heaven L: No, I'm growing some in my garden.

Answer 1

I gleaned this from another site. Hopefully some of these will work for you:
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Weed Patrol: Be persistent in hoeing weeds and you will be breaking up clods of soil that slugs like to hide under and you may expose their eggs which you can then smash or whatever.

Mulch: Keep mulch pulled back from the base of your plants. Consider waiting to apply mulch until the soil temperatures have warmed to above 75F.

Try lava rock as a barrier in areas where plants need protection. We have heard from many people who say it works very well! Perhaps lava rock is good for something after all? No offense to those who like it.

Use the lint from your dryer as a barrier.

Slug-Stop is applied as a 2 inch wide barrier in the same way that you would use diatomaceous earth. Unlike D.E., Slug-Stop does not have to remain dry to be effective. It is made from a patented blend of soaps from coconuts! It does not kill slugs and snails but keeps them out wherever you use it. After 3 or more weeks as needed you just put down more where there are any breaks in your original barrier. It is recommended that the barrier be outside of the root zone of the plant to be protected as Slug-Stop does contain some naturally occurring salts that some plants may be sensitive to. It has a low impact on the environment. It is claimed that it break down naturally into the soil with no residual problems.

Try a barrier line or an overall sprinkle of powdered ginger.

Shingles or Sandpaper: Get rid of slugs in the infested area then lay a barrier of roof shingles around the area to keep slugs out or use a circle of sandpaper.

Copper Strips: The use of copper strips as a barrier will give slugs a jolt of electricity. The metal ions in copper are what repel slugs. There are mixed reports on just how effective this is. One good way to try copper strips is to make a circle of the strip around just the plants you want to protect, remove slugs first. Easier too. Copper sulfate and similar copper based products may also work for the barrier method.

Herbs: A mulch made of stems and leaves of strong smelling herbs like wormwood, mints, tansy, lemon balm along with conifer twigs mixed in will help stop slugs and other pests.

Hair and Fur: Use a barrier of hair or fur to entangle slugs. Gross and effective. An additional benefit from using hair is that it supplies some nitrogen to your plants! Human hair, pet fur and horsehair, all will work.

Rosemary: Sprigs of rosemary scattered around repel slugs and are refreshing with their piney scent.

Coffee Grounds: Used coffee grounds spread around susceptible plants may work.

Answer 2

Without killing them, kind of hard. They are just pests.

All depends on the type of setup you have. If it is just open land your probably going to have a real tough time. I know farmers paint the tree trunks, sometimes put some grease around them, or attach a metal ring (copper for snails?) to keep insects from crawling up.

You would most likely have to create some sort of wall as I don't think there is any kind of non lethal snail repellent. Not that I am aware of anyway. I do know they love beer, but that will drown em. Good luck.

Salt as others have said, but that kills. I have also heard of wood ashes, but that might kill the plants. Egg shells are also said to work, grind them up.

Answer 3

Plant some herbs, that are highly scented such as Lavender, Rosemary or Sage. If you want to kill them use a shallow container and put some beer in it. Put it into a hole in you garden and fill if half full. Or take a two litter plastic bottle and cut the top off and the put the top back into the bottle with the opening inside the bottle tape the cut off part back together with duct tape. You can ring your garden with sand as suggested above or you can use gravel anything dry .

Answer 4

No since the decline of the song thush slugs have gone mad try a beer trap its better than poisoning with pellets. if you just repel them next year ther will be twice as many and so on until you have to take drastic action.

Answer 5

Somehow in the back of my mind I recall someone saying to put salt around the area. But, I don't know how safe that is either for the slugs and snails. They'll get awfully thirsty though!

Answer 6

Why not just grow your lettuce high up in window boxes..works 4 me..alternately you could try creating a dandielion or docken lettuce hybrid..the leaves of these 'weed' plants contain an enzyme which apparently cre8s the sensation of 'fullness' in a plant predator..so warding off further depradations

Answer 7

Be sure that they have a basking spot as well as the right lighting. Sun is not enough! Google the correct bulbs, you will have to spend a lot of money to get the right ones. One buld is called a blue daylight bulb, the other is flourescant. Again, sun is just not enough. Small RES need light the most for shell development.

Answer 8

You could sit up all night long with a flashlight. Keep a close watch for slugs and snails! When you see one, pick it up - tenderly - and put it on your neighbors lawn. You will have to do this every night though.

Answer 9

yes in the summer make sure their is no snails or slug ( lol i collect them) in the plant and put netting over it make sure the holes are small so nothing gets in this will keep the snails and slugs from killing ur plants.....GOOD LUCK!

Answer 10

Next year put down thin tar paper and cut holes for each plant. Actually you can just make an X and put the plant in the. I think that will work they don't crawl up on it. This probably won't work for leaf lettace. I think most poeple use a hot bed for that. Good Luck