How to get rid of slugs on my balcony
Are you wondering how on earth slugs and snails ended up on your balcony? In this guide, we’ll explain how they got there, the best ways to remove them, and how to try stop them from coming back—so you can enjoy your little Garden in peace!
How did slugs make it onto your balcony?
Slugs can reach your balcony in one of two ways.
First, you might have unknowingly brought them there—perhaps hidden in the soil of a potted plant gifted by a friend, where slug eggs were already present.
Second, they could have climbed their way up. Slugs are excellent climbers and can scale multiple floors in a single damp night wtih no issues, especially if they find rest stops on your neighbor’s balcony below. Potentially their balcony is an absolute haven for slugs also with lots of plants and little sunlight and damp conditions.
How to protect your balcony plants from slugs and snails.
So if overall you don’t want slugs and snails on your balcony because they’re eating a specific plant or plants which you’re growing in a planter or plant pots, the fastest way to protect the plant would be to use an effective slug deterrent or repellent. And below is a chart we made after years of research on which are the most effective and all of this information we share on our blog post: 3 steps to slug free. including how we came to this conclusion.
If slugs made it to your balcony because you unknowingly brought them in, it’s likely you can eliminate them completely. However, if they’ve arrived from a neighbor’s balcony or a garden below, it maybe just a case of stopping infestations and reducing them to a manageable level. Protect vulnerable plants with effective barriers and make your balcony as unwelcoming as possible to deter future infestations.
If you choose to use a slug barrier, it’s crucial to thoroughly check your plant containers first—otherwise, you might accidentally trap slugs and snails inside the barrier. After setting it up, we recommend patrolling your balcony in the dark after rain to remove any slugs that may have been left on the wrong side. As you’ll see in our chart, the Slugstand is the most effective solution. If your balcony doesn’t get much wind or rain, a thick-grain salt barrier can also work well to deter slugs and you can even combine multiple together for example copper tape on a slugstand, or wool pellets in the pot which is on a slugstand.
Make sure you don't have a water or damp issue
Make sure your guttering isn’t overflowing, water isn’t running down the external wall, and the drainage on your balcony isn’t blocked wtih debris, causing water to pool and not drain quickly. Very damp conditions can create an ideal environment for slugs and snails to thrive.
search for them and rehome them
In addition to using a barrier—or as an alternative—you can manually remove slugs and snails by thoroughly checking every nook and cranny on your balcony. If you’re on good terms with your neighbors, ask them to do the same to help your situation. Nightly patrols are also effective since slugs come out when it’s dark and damp. However, this is only a short-term fix. If your balcony has a large number of slugs and snails, it’s because it offers ideal conditions for them. Without addressing the root cause, they’re likely to return from nearby balconies or the ground below.
water your plants in the morning
Water your plants in the morning instead of the evening to avoid creating the perfect conditions for slugs and snails. Evening watering keeps surfaces damp just as these pests become active, making it easier for them to move and feed on your plants.
Keep your balcony tidy
Too many saucers, pots, or clutter on your balcony create the perfect hiding spots for slugs and snails. These provide a safe, damp habitat where they can rest during the day before coming out to feed at night.
using a humane trap to get rid of balcony slugs and snails
Using humane or lethal traps can be an effective way to quickly manage your slug and snail problem. For a simple non-baited trap, place a piece of wood or damp cardboard on your balcony. Slugs and snails will likely seek shelter under it during the day. Check it in the mornings to remove any pests you find.
Alternatively, you can use a humane, baited trap like the SlugVault slug trap, which you can fill with beer or another attractant. Be sure to add something like gravel or soil to prevent the slugs and snails from drowning. Check the trap each morning and remove any pests that have been lured in.
prevent them coming back
So this really shouldn’t be necessary if you’ve followed all the previous steps and certainly shouldn’t be the only thing you do. Like with rehoming them, they will likely return unless you address the root cause of why they’re thriving on your balcony. Unless you have a quick tidy and put their favorite plant out of reach using a Slugstand or another barrier, they still have plenty of places to hide, live, and food to eat.
Make sure you keep your balcony tidy and well-maintained. Check all plants and soil before introducing them to your balcony. If you notice any slime trails or signs of plant damage, start with nightly patrols and traps to get on top of things before they multiply.
How to kill slugs and snails
However should you wish to eradicate all the slugs and snails on your balcony, i made a post about this you by clicking : 3 steps to slug free and then clicking on the link in the table of contents called Step 3 – Killing slugs.
in conclusion
this shouldn’t be too difficult for you to do as there’s only so many places for slugs and snails to hide on your balcony and living on a building instead of in the ground does make it easier to root out the problem. for the complete guidance do check out the 3 steps to slug free complete guide. And also you can look in our shop where you can see reccomended products to help manage on the organce button below.