Slug pellets against slugs in the garden is an efficient way to protect your fruit and vegetables. When used properly, organic slug pellets are also gentle on beneficial animals and pets.
Snails, especially slugs, are really voracious creatures. But no garden has to be at their mercy. One way of protecting crops is the application of slug pellets. This was notorious for a long time because its old conventional active ingredients are harmful to the environment and poisonous. But slug pellets are not just slug pellets. There are different preparations with different properties. In the following you will learn everything about the mode of action and application of slug pellets against slugs.
What types of slug pellets are there?
There are currently three different active ingredients in slug pellets. On the one hand the toxic metaldehyde, on the other hand the well-tolerated iron-III-phosphate, which is also permitted in organic farming. There is also a granulate based on essential oils.
Methiocarb was also permitted until 2014. Due to its strong toxicity, this remedy is now banned and may no longer be used. If you still have old methiocarb slug pellets, it must be disposed of safely.
Note: Plant protection products that are no longer approved have a use-by period of 18 months. They must then be carefully disposed of at disposal companies or collection points in the districts or municipalities.
How does slug pellets work?
Depending on the active ingredient, slug pellets have different modes of action. We present the three different variants.
Essential Oils
The snail granules with essential oils drive away the snails with its scent. So it's a repellent. They are not killed, but the snail problem is just moved to another garden. It can be effective to use the repellent together with a sacrificial bed: wherever there are snailsare to be driven away, the fragrant deterrent is distributed so that all reptiles stay only in the sacrificial bed. Because the snail concentration there is very high, beneficial creatures such as hedgehogs, who like to stay there, are soon called onto the scene. For example, geraniol, lavandin oil and oils obtained from lantana (Lantana camara) and mint (Mentha) are effective. Humans and mammals are not endangered when used properly, but side effects on other non-target organisms and beneficial insects as well as occasional damage to plants have been observed.
Slug pellets with Metaldehyde
Metaldehyde irreversibly damages the mucus-forming cells. This impedes the protective function of the snail skin and the locomotion and digestion of the animals. The snails slime and die where they are. Small children and other garden animals can also be harmed if they are picked up. The commercial denaturing of snail pellets prevents poisoning in children, but unfortunately it cannot be ruled out. Cramps and hyperthermia, vomiting and diarrhea indicate poisoning. We therefore advise against metaldehyde-based slug pellets.
Slug pellets with Ferrous phosphate
As a well-tolerated alternative, slug pellets with the active ingredient iron-III-phosphate are available. This is also contained in our Plantura organic slug pellets. After ingesting this remedy, the snails stop eating, retreat to their hiding places without forming mucus and die there. The dead animals are therefore not lying around in the beds. The ferric phosphate is dissolved by microorganisms and organic acid and does not harm the soil but is used as a plant nutrient.
How long does it take for slug pellets to work? About 20 minutes after eating Metaldehyde-based slug pellets, the slugs will have died. The active ingredient is released over a period of about ten days. When they ingest slug pellets with iron-III-phosphate, the slugs immediately stop eating, withdraw to their hiding place and starve to death after several days. This substance works for up to two weeks. The grain with essential oils acts immediately as a repellent. This means it deters the snails without harming them. According to the manufacturer, the effect lasts up to three weeks, depending on the weather conditionsan.
The correct use of slug pellets
All variants of slug pellets are distributed in a wide area and never in heaps. Barriers around entire beds or encircling individual plants with metaldehyde or ferric phosphate-based slug pellets would also be less effective. On the other hand, grain with essential oils can be applied around flower beds as protection.
For our Plantura organic slug pellets, an application rate of 38 grains per square meter is ideal. Due to the highly concentrated power active ingredient, the 350 gram pack is sufficient for an area of up to 500 square meters. After the application area has been watered, the grains can be evenly distributed in mild weather early morning or late evening. This can be done up to four times from April to September at intervals of at least seven days. There is no waiting time until the harvest. Slug pellets are permitted for arable farming, vegetable and fruit crops, but not for ornamental plants.
If Roman snails are found in the garden, caution is advised. Because these snails, which are under nature protection, also die after ingesting the slug pellets, which you want to avoid. However, since they rarely stay in the treated vegetable beds, this is usually not a problem.
If you buy our Plantura slug pellets, you get slug pellets that remain effective for up to two weeks, even in light rain. If heavy rain sets in, we recommend applying again after seven days.
A summary of the use of our Plantura organic slug pellets:
- Early morning or late evening mild weather application
- Water the area beforehand so that the grains can swell
- Distribute slug pellets evenly around the plants to be protected without forming heaps
- Amount applied: 38 grains per square meter
- Application period: April to September (maximum 4 applications at least 7 days apart)
- No waiting until harvest
- Caution: do not use on snails in the vegetable patch
Is slug pellets poisonous?
With any crop protection product, care must always be taken to ensure that non-target organisms do not consume the substance. Slug pellets with the active ingredient metaldehyde can be toxic to humans and animals, for examplebe. Ingestion often leads to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, high fever, muscle spasms, and occasionally even coma. The critical dose depends on the individual agents and the individual organism. From an intake of 20 - 40 mg/kg body weight, medical treatment is recommended for dogs or cats, for example. This corresponds to an intake of only 0.4 to 0.8 g for a 20 kg dog, i.e. a very small amount. This means that methiocarb - an active ingredient that is no longer approved - is extremely toxic and should definitely be disposed of safely.
Iron-III-phosphate, as in our Plantura organic slug pellets, is gentler on beneficial insects and pets. When used properly, it is also classified as non-hazardous to bees. It is therefore also approved for organic farming.
What alternatives are there to slug pellets?
There are a variety of slug-resistant and slug-repelling plants. Snail fences and traps as well as some home remedies such as coffee grounds can also be helpful against snails. The promotion of beneficial insects is also profitable for the entire garden. For a complete overview, see our article on snail control.
Alternatives summarized:
- Snail Fences
- Traps
- Adapted planting
- Promotion of beneficial insects
Raised beds are difficult for snails to reach and are often spared by other insects. We explain how to build a raised bed yourself. If you still have problems with snails in the raised bed, we will help you.