Using salt to fight against slugs and snails
If you’re dealing with slugs and snails in your garden, home, or greenhouse, using salt can be a cheap and effective way to get rid of them. However, you need to learn how to use it correctly. It must not get into the soil, as this can kill your plants. It also shouldn’t just get washed away by rain or blown away by the wind, as this will stop it from working.
You need to know what type of salt to use (fine grain / thick grain), which products you can use it with, like a spray bottle or Slugstand, and how to use it to repel slugs rather than just kill them.
What effect can salt have on your plants and soil?
Plants:
Salt can have detrimental effects on plants if applied in excessive amounts or directly onto plant tissues. Salt absorbs water, and high concentrations of salt in the soil can draw water away from plant roots, causing dehydration and ultimately leading to wilting and death. Some people even use salt to stop weeds growing on paving / paths.
Additionally, salt can alter soil structure and nutrient availability, making it difficult for plants to uptake essential nutrients. So we don’t recommend using it outdoors where rain will get to it and wash it into the soil, as this will have negative consequences. We’ll go into ways you can use it outdoors, so that salt doesn’t get into the soil later.
What does salt do to slugs and snails?
Slugs and Snails:
Salt is often used as a method of controlling slugs and snails due to its dehydrating effect. When salt comes into contact with a slug or snail, it draws water out of their bodies through osmosis, ultimately causing them to desiccate and die if used in strong enough amounts. Generally if it’s been used as a salty solution or grains on the ground, they will simply touch it, recoil and go in the opposite direction.
Additionally, salt can harm other organisms in the soil and disrupt the balance of the ecosystem if not used correctly.
How to apply salt to stop slugs and snails
We would only recommend applying salt outdoors if it’s sheltered from the rain or won’t leach into other plants and cause damage there, say on a patio and not on a lawn around the base of some platers and pots or in a slugstand as shown above.
It’s main use for gardeners should be in a greenhouse either as a line of salt around table legs or the edges of the greenhouse, or even as a salt solution spray on the sides of pots and the lower aspect of the greenhouses’ walls.
you can easily make a DIY salt solution by mixing as much salt as possible into warm water and stirring, then letting it cool and putting it into an old spray bottle.
While salt can be an effective method to manage slugs and snails, it may require repeated applications. Monitor your garden or affected areas regularly and reapply salt as needed. Remember not to overuse salt, as it can harm beneficial insects and plants if used excessively.
Using salt to manage slugs and snails can be an affordable and environmentally friendly solution. However, it’s important to use it responsibly and avoid excessive amounts that could harm your plants or the environment. By following these tips, you can effectively control slugs and snails and protect your garden, home, or greenhouse.