HELIO, elegant greenhouses with an innovative architectural concept, respectful of the environment, made in France
At this time of year, your greenhouse vegetable garden is just magnificent! your tomato plants are growing and the cucumbers are ready to eat. The only downside remains the invasion of slugs which sometimes settle in faster than it seems. How to keep slugs away , terror of salad leaves?
These so-called pests, however, have an essential role in the garden and especially in the ecosystem that composes it. Indeed, thanks to their mucus and their movement, the slugs have a favorable effect on the soil, which they aerate, bind and hydrate.
Easy to spot and very present in all vegetable gardens, this mollusk moves mainly at night, since the climatic conditions are optimal for it. The softness and the night humidity make it bring out its 4 tentacles (two for the eyes, two for its olfactory sensors) to attack your vegetables.
There are many methods to control these dreaded garden destroyers. However, some are more cruel than others, which is why we list below the most natural ways to protect your vegetable garden from slugs , without modifying the ecosystem. Here’s how to keep slugs away from your vegetable patch.
Keep slugs away with simple methods
Keep slugs away with a simple wooden plank.
Supporting biodiversity by creating a micro-habitat for slugs is the most appropriate way! All you have to do is place a wooden plank on the ground, a few meters from your vegetable garden. The purpose of this board is to provide refuge for slugs in a moist, shady area within easy sledding distance.
Get rid of the slugs by adding some fruit and vegetable scraps.
Near the micro habitat, the slugs will turn away from your crops, while remaining on site to maintain the soil.
Borage and repellent plants, effective in repelling slugs.
Borage is recognized by its five petals and its five sepals which form a small star coloring your vegetable patch blue, mauve or pink. The advantage of its generous flowering is that it attracts pollinating insects, such as bees, while being a repellent for slugs and snails. If the borage is not enough, add some repellent plants, such as mustard, clover, marigolds or blackcurrant. These plants will also act as natural barriers.
Water infrequently but abundantly.
Slugs seek moisture to move easily. If the soil is too dry, they will not be able to circulate in your vegetable garden. By spreading water in a targeted way, only by watering the feet of the plants, you avoid the attack of this formidable mollusc.
Dry out the soil around your plants to ward off slugs through dryness.
Last natural and repellent advice, dry out the access roads to the crops yourself by scattering around your plants and in your vegetable garden dehydrating materials such as wood ash, sawdust, pine needles or shells. finely crushed eggs. Without mucus, they cannot move, which will discourage slugs from attacking your vegetable patch. Thus, they will remain in the micro habitat that you have created for them.
There are many natural methods to keep slugs away from your vegetable garden, without having a negative impact on the ecosystem that makes up your green space. A true gardener will discourage the garden snail from attacking his vegetable patch, but not eradicate it. For a truly organic and reasoned cultivation, do not spray your plants with anti-slug product, which will also destroy the fauna and flora of your garden.