Can Slugs Climb

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For years gardeners have tried every trick in the book to keep slugs off plants. Everything from eggshells, to diatomaceous earth, to copper rings, and beer.

But for plants in pots…………… one seemingly innocuous product does the job. Just spray WD-40 around the outer top of the pots! It makes the pot slippery so the slug cannot climb into the pot.

This trick also works for raised garden beds. Make sure all slugs are removed from the bed and then spray around the upper outer perimeter of the raised bed to keep slugs from returning.

Protect plants in the pots or beds with a temporary wall of newspaper, cardboard, an old poster board, or flat piece of plastic as the spray is applied.

There is a warning that goes with this method. It is meant to be used for localized spots and plants only. Do not spray the WD-40 on the ground around plants. This would be extremely bad for the soil.

Some people have had the same good results using Vaseline or vegetable shortening spiked with red pepper.

There are many other organic tricks to keep slugs away and off plants.

Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2021