Slugs and snails can be valuable in cleaning up the waste, dead, and rotting garden debris. As they consume the waste, they provide the fertilizer rich in nitrogen that helps your plants grow. A small population of slugs can help make your garden thrive.
However, if their population increases uncontrollably, they pose a serious threat. To help you eliminate this problem, we will show you how to apply Sluggo most effectively.
If you are dealing with a slug infestation, you know how hard it can be to keep your garden safe from these pesky little critters. Slugs can chomp down your healthy, beautiful fruits and vegetables and eat away the leaves and stems, leaving holes inside.
They can drastically damage your garden if not controlled. The best solution to get rid of them is using a slug pesticide. We will teach you how to apply Sluggo in your garden to keep slugs at bay.
- ORGANIC SLUG AND SNAIL CONTROL - Sluggo is one of the best snail and slug control products to protect your plants from snail and slug damage. Use in lawns, gardens, greenhouses, ornamentals, vegetables, fruits, berries, citrus and crop plants.
- FOR ORGANIC GARDENING – OMRI Listed for Organic Gardening. Organic Materials Review Institute reviews products to ensure it complies with all organic standards under the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP).
- PETS AND WILDLIFE - Sluggo can be used around pets and wildlife. It contains iron phosphate, which naturally occurs soil, and attracts slugs and snails without being harmful to other animals.
- GRANULAR FORMULA – Scatter the slug and snail bait granules on the ground or near the plants to be protected. Can be applied using a standard broadcast spreader for large areas. For best results apply bait during the evening.
- EFFECTIVE AFTER RAIN - After application, rain or sprinkling will not change the effectiveness of the product on slugs, bugs, or snails. If heavy rainfall occurs, reapply to allow snails and slugs access to the bait.
How Can You Tell You Have a Slug Infestation?
Slugs and snails’ infestation is a pretty common problem faced by gardeners worldwide. Slugs and snails are not insects, but they belong to the family of molluscs. It is quite common to confuse these two critters. The major difference between them is that the snails have a shell on their body, whereas the slugs do not have one.
Look for the following signs to confirm a slug infestation in your garden.
- Examine your leaves and fruits. Slug damage usually appears in the form of irregular holes in your healthy leaves. They usually don’t go for the stems and chomp down the leaves.
- It is harder to tell whether you have a slug infestation because they usually come out at night during the dark. Slugs hide away in dark and damp places and come out at night.
- Slugs and snails leave behind a slimy trail of mucus called mucin. So, look for any shiny silvery trails or deposits of mucin on your eaten leaves. Spot the trails when you are watering or early morning in the glistening sun.
- They love humidity and appear in large numbers after heavy rain. Thus, if you notice an increase in the destruction of your garden after rain or in the morning, we have got bad news for you! Your garden may have a snail infestation.
- Slugs will show an increase in their activity during early spring.
- New sprouts and seedlings will have completely eaten leaves with only stems left behind.
- Slugs and snails prefer to lay their eggs in cold, moist, and dark places or compost.
- To confirm the presence of slugs and their population in your garden, dig a small hole about 4 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Cover this hole with a board and check after a few days for snails and slugs. If you see these pesky creatures in large amounts in the hole, they have certainly taken over your garden!
What is Sluggo?
If all the signs of having a slug infestation check, don’t worry; we have just the right solution for you. Sluggo is an organic pesticide used to get rid of slugs and snails. The active ingredient in Sluggo is metaldehyde called iron phosphate. Iron phosphate acts by damaging the tissues of the digestive system of a slug.
It causes the slugs to stop eating altogether and makes them dehydrated. As a result, their mobility is lost since they cannot produce mucin. Follow our simple guide if you don’t know how to apply Sluggo.
How to Apply Sluggo Effectively
Follow these simple tips to learn how to apply Sluggo to get the most effective results.
- The first step is to scatter and spread around Sluggo’s granules evenly. Wear gloves and goggles before you start the process. You can use an electric or manual spreader to ensure you cover the maximum ground effectively without leaving any parts.
- Apply the slug bait in an approximate quantity of about 0.5 to 1 pound per 1000 square feet. To cover smaller grounds, use about 0.075 to 0.15 oz., or 0.5 to 1 teaspoon, per square yard.
- Avoid placing the slug bait in large piles in one place. Spreading it around will increase its efficiency and effectiveness.
- To keep the slugs and snails away from your beloved plants, circle them with the Sluggo granules and form a protective barrier. It will ensure whichever slug enters this area will consume the pesticide.
- Do not apply Sluggo on dry ground. If the ground is dry, make it wet to make it ready for application. Sluggo works more efficiently on slightly moist soil but avoids overwatering or standing water.
- If you are using any cups, spoons, or utensils to measure the pesticide, keep them separate. Please do not use them again for food after being used for pesticides.
- While applying Sluggo, treat the outskirts and perimeters of your yards, gardens, and plants properly. Slugs dwell in dark and moist areas and travel back to the plants after the daytime is over.
- It will take between 1 to 3 days for the slugs to die.
- The favorite hiding place for slugs and snails is damper areas around vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, cabbage, squash, celery, and lettuce. Other preferred places include ivy patches, rotten wood chips or logs, flower beds, rockeries, hedges, and lawns. They cover such areas during the day and come out at night to munch on your plants.
- Avoid applying Sluggo more than three times within 30 days.
- Apply Sluggo after watering or heavy rain since it washes off the pesticide.
- If you are facing a severe infestation, you can increase the quantity and frequency of application.
- Avoid applying Sluggo within the first three days of harvest.
- For small plants and seedlings, spread the bait around the stem. Similarly, spread the bait around the tree trunks, flower pots, and plants affected by slugs. Also, spread it around and sprinkle it evenly in your yard.
Benefits of Sluggo
Sluggo is a popular pesticide to get rid of slugs due to its following benefits:
- Easier application and storage
- Completely organic and environmental-friendly
- Non-toxic and safe for plants
- Safe to be used around children and pets
- Easy to use granular formula
- The active ingredient is iron phosphate which naturally occurs in soil and is also good for plants.
- It remains effective and does not wash off even after rain and sprinkling
- A small amount can cover a large ground
- It kills slugs and snails and gets rid of other pests like Earwigs, Cutworms, Sowbugs, and Pillbugs.
Conclusion
While you are tucked away in your bed and having a good night’s sleep, some pesky critters come out and munch on your lovely garden. Finding a little snail or slug crawling around and leaving a slimy trail behind may seem fascinating but don’t be fooled by them.
Slugs are one of the most common pests that can eat away your garden and the vegetables you grew with so much hard work. We have taught you some really helpful tips on how to apply Sluggo so you can get rid of these pesky creatures. We love to hear your feedback!