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 Slugs are one of the biggest problems for gardeners who
have shade gardens, especially ones with hostas. Over the years I’ve tried
many slug deterrents with various degrees of success.
I’ve given up using sharp ones such as chicken grit, diatomaceous earth,
and broken egg shells, because imprinted on my mind is a photo of a slug
crawling across the sharp edge of a razor blade thanks to its
slime-creating ability. I’ve also given up on 4” copper fencing since the
copper eventually becomes oxidized and no longer gives a small but
effective electrical charge to these loathsome creatures.
Some gardeners find beer in yoghurt containers sunk in the
ground attracts the slugs which then drown in the drink. Others find a 10%
household ammonia solution mixed with 90% water sprayed on hosta hearts
keeps the critters at bay.
Many gardeners have found ferric phosphate the most effective slug killer.An environmentally-aware friend from the Pacific Coast where huge slugs hang out has been using ferric phosphate for three years and claims that his hosta leaves are just as whole in September as in June. My hostas which are usually lace by September had just a few holes in them this year. These holes occurred because I wasn't diligent enough to spread the ferric phosphate pellets on damp earth around the plants every two weeks. In June when I saw that the slugs were eating the leaves on my pulmonaria plants, I removed the damaged leaves and sprinkled
the ferric phosphate pellets under the remaining ones. These leaves were still whole by fall. The slugs eat the bait, which they love, and then crawl away to expire.
Sprinkling a few pellets around the hosta shoots as soon as they poke through the earth in the spring goes a long way towards keeping the slug population under control. The ¼” baby slugs feed on these before they are mature enough to reproduce.
If you are in doubt as to its safety, check out “ferric phosphate” on the web and read what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says about it. The EPA mentions that this ubiquitous substance is safe for humans, pets, birds, insects, earthworms, doesn't dissolve appreciably in water, and is therefore safe in ground water.
Ferric phosphate is marketed by Safer's in a box that says New with a big black slug on the front. It's available from garden centres and nurseries.
 In past years pesky squirrels have dug up my planter boxes, eaten the tulip blooms, eaten the rhododendron buds, and eaten all the pears on our pear tree. Several years ago in the magazine Fine Gardening, I read about Deervik, a paste, not a spray which repels deer. Readers also found that it repells squirrels. Since it was not available locally, I ordered it from the States. It cost a small fortune by the time I paid shipping, exchange, and most of all Canada customs. Following the directions, I placed Deervik at the height the critters were eating. I dipped one end of twigs or stakes in the Deervik and stuck the other end in the ground near the plants. It worked for my tulips, rhododendrons, and planter boxes, but I was unable to keep the squirrels from the pears. I tried smearing the product on the trunks but the squirrels were able to leap from the high branches of neighbouring trees.
The garden’s a mystical, magical place,
You can make
believe there for hours.
Just look at what grows, right under your nose.
It’s a fun way to learn about flowers.
Witch hazel rides on her bright yellow broom,
Gazing down, a jungle she sees.
There are fierce tigerlilies and brave dandelions,
Snapdragons, foxgloves, monkey trees.
And more beasts she spies – not so wild, rather tame;
Goatsbeard, horse chestnuts, lambs’ ears.
Catmints and dogwoods are scratching like mad –
Fleabanes must be bad this year.
You can climb Jacob’s ladder and fly a sweet rocket
To the moonflower, past blazing stars.
Or watch beebalms make honey on a butterfly bush
And catch spiderflowers in jars.
Spearmints, sword plants and sharp dagger ferns,
How many garden weapons are there?
And are they fierce enough to pierce the armour tough
Of the delphinium King Arthur?
Thank goodness the waterlily’s finally arrived
And douses the flames with great speed.
Make friends with the flowers: with wee creeping Jenny,
Johnny-jump-up, sweet William so jolly,
With rosemary, veronica, Jack-in-the-pulpit,
Herb Robert, Joe Pye weed and holly.
Under pink ladyslippers and moccasin flowers,
Is it right, do you know, to wear socks?
And do cardinal flowers, wake robins and cranesbills
Fly singly, in pairs, or in phlox?
The garden, by and large, is a safe enough place,
And a walk round should be rather easy.
But grow buttercups, butternuts, or butter-and-eggs,
And the whole thing might be rather greasy.
Three cheers for the garden!! Wave high the flag,
Blow the bugleweed and trumpet vine!
For a garden’s a place where the whole human race
Should really get on bloomin’ fine!
© Janet Davis
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Slugging
It Out With Slugs