Do you have a nasty slug problem? Think about garlic

Slugs can be a nuisance in your garden because they are not afraid to eat your ripening fruits or vegetables, before you even get to them. Slugs also feed on the leaves of your plants, and overfeeding can cause the garden to weaken or die.

“Slugs want protection, which is why they like shady gardens,” explains horticulturist Ben Cullen. “And they want humidity. So either your garden is overwatered or you’re in a rainy season, and that’s when slugs tend to show up.”

Slugs can feed on the leaves of your plants | Humoyun Mehridinov/Wikimedia Commons

Cullen says the best way to combat slugs is through interplanting, especially in the vegetable garden where you can have aromatic plants like mint, sage, rosemary and thyme.

“Have a small herb garden with tomatoes and lettuce, the leafy greens that slugs feast on,” adds Cullens. “Garlic too, another strong-smelling food crop that you can incorporate into your vegetable garden and which will keep slugs away.”

To learn more about how to deter slugs from your garden, watch the video above.

Thumbnail image courtesy: Soph556/Wikimedia Commons