How To Protect Your Plants From Slugs & Snails: Natural Methods

Hey Guys,
I hope everyone is doing well.

I've been wanting to write this blog post for a long time now, and more often than not, life always finds a way to get in the way of my regular posting schedule, but at least this post is better late than never.

For today, I want to talk about natural methods of protecting your beloved plants from slugs and snails. I've personally had massive problems with this in the course of my own personal seed growing journey, so I know first hand just how devastating it can be to see all of your hard work being feasted upon by those night time ninjas... slugs and snails. So if this has ever happened to you, just know that you're not alone!

But all is not lost... There are things we can do to protect our beloved plants that won't cause any additional harm to this big blue marble we call home.
So let's dive right in....

Firs off, it's important to identify first and foremost if you have a slug or snail problem which can present problems as snails and slugs generally tend to feed only at night, but they can sometimes be spotted during the day, especially on overcast, foggy or rainy days.
There's also tell-tale signs of slug and snail activity as you may not always catch them in the act of feasting upon your beloved plants. Some of the signs to look out for would be irregular shaped holes in the leaves with smooth edges. 
The most obvious sign of slug or snail activity is the slimy mucus they  leave behind wherever they go, so if you see slug or snail trails... you've identified the culprit!

So, how exactly do we protect our plants?

The first step would be to make your garden as unwelcoming as possible for those night time ninjas by removing potential cool, dark hiding spots in your garden, removing any objects or debris that has direct contact with the soil is key here. This includes raking up fallen leaves. Woodchip mulch provides a safe hiding spot for slugs and snails so you're best bet is to avoid using it in your veggie patch when possible. Good alternatives are straw and pine needle mulch.

Another natural step you can take to protect your plants, especially during new growth (this seems to be a favourite food for slugs and snails!) is to encourage natural predators into your garden. Slugs and snails have a variety of natural predators such as birds, blackbirds, jackdaws, doves, starlings and owls  are among the many species of birds hat prey on slugs and snails.
Also, if you keep ducks, turkeys or chickens... allow them to range wherever slugs and snails are a problem.

It's not just birds that prey on slugs and snails... some insects do too! Such as ground beetles,  fireflies and ants. These little guys will go a long way in eliminating the slug and snail problem in your garden.
Reptiles and amphibians love to snack on snails and slugs as well. Frogs, toads, lizards and snakes are well known for snacking on snails and slugs. Adding a pond or other marshy water feature is a way to naturally entice these creatures into your yard.

The next step you can take to naturally protect your plants from slugs and snails is to physically remove the critters by hand....
Venture into your garden at night, about two hours after sunset. Use a flashlight to check around your plants, looking at the tops and bottoms of leaves, at the base of each plant, and along the soil between rows. Once slugs and snails are located. use a spoon to dislodge them fro the surface.
This method means removing the slugs and snails from their food source and will produce immediate results. 

And there we have it, some natural methods of protecting your beloved plants from slugs and snails.

Thank you for reading, 
Until Next Time,
Kim