ammonia spray for slugsammonia spray for slugs

What you have to understand about ammonia and water is that it will kill slugs on contact, but it does not have any residual effect. Then put some iron phosphate pellets near each hosta. Organic Container Gardening - Step By Step Guide, Organic Gardening Books - The 50 Absolute Best Books. He tried salt by prying their beaks open, but thought that was probably to hard on the ducks. I just put about a cup of ammonia, couple tablespoons of the soap in a spray bottle and fill the rest of the way to the top with water. This can be applied using a hand spray bottle early in the morning or during a warm rain. Of course thats hard to do in a vegetable garden because they seem to like a lot of things, although a herb garden can work well with slugs. Itll kill the larvae and stop the slugs lifecycle. Cut up pieces of carpet and lie them on top of the soil. Its good in the sense that it can eliminate slugs and a few other pests, as well as make a small amount of fertilizer available in the soil. Ammonia occurs naturally as plant material decays. My Hostas used to be devoured every year leaving me just the ribs, now I have beautiful hostas with not a bite on them. It came at just the right time for me. Instead, you want to dilute the ammonia with water, and there are several dilution methods you can try. Its bad in the sense that if you use it improperly, you can kill your plants or even harm you. Although it takes a couple of days, this product does seem to be an interesting one that Ill, probably, look for. Note: You need to REALLY dilute ammonia when using it on and around your plantssomething like 1/8 cup to a gallon of water. Its oily and keeps a lot of pests away, and fertilizes gently at 5-1-1. Yes. During the day, slugs will hide under the covers to avoid sun exposure. They are just gone. Copper 15. With a variety of techniques including lures and traps as well as using natural predators to rid you of slugs, you'll be slug-free in no time. Sharp, coarse sand scrapes against slugs, but may not deter them completely. Make an Ammonia Spray. I probably wont do many insect-specific articles on the site, but may tackle groups of insects that can be managed with similar approaches. Because theyre little, and because they have to get from point A to point B by squirming around, it can be challenging for them to get where theyre going. Strain and combine with soapy water, then spray onto soil or slugs. The slugs hate the ammonia and the plants love the nitrogen. One way to deal with slugs is to physically collect them and drop them into some household ammonia. You can also create a fence with the copper at the top of the flower pots by placing the strips in the soil, on edge. Ammonia will break down the eggs surface when it comes into contact with it, and this prevents the eggs from hatching. Herbs: ginger, garlic, chives, mint, and chicory. Encourage birds to nest in your garden by providing hedges or dense shrubbery, bird feeders, and a bird bath. This is a wonderful article an great responses too. Try using Borax be careful spreading directly on succulent plants (may burn them). Use Ammonia to Kill Slugs Household ammonia not only kills slugs but, at the dilution ratio discussed below, actually provides a source of nitrogen that plants absorb through their leaves. Living in the UK, its always wet- ho humso keeping dry is never possible. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. We used pine cones as a mulch. After youve started planting, put up a fence around your vegetation; this will keep them from getting at your veggies, but it will also dismiss your slug problem. But, just as using your perfume in the wrong way (drinking it, spraying it on bugs, slugs, etc) would kill, so will ammonia, dishwashing detergent, beer, and even water, if used wrong or in excess. Typically, the slug repellent fence runs off a nine-volt battery. Spraying soil is also a common method of controlling slugs and snails. Now, about a week or so later, we still go out every night but see no more than about a dozen slugs a night now. Manage Settings 11. Two types of beetles, the carob and rove, like to eat slug eggs and baby slugs. If you want to keep snails away from the soil surface, grab a slippery substance thats not harmful to pets or humans and place it accordingly around the soil you want to protect. I checked several government sites and got a range of 5% to 80% household ammonia. Most DIY techniques do not work, or have a limited effect. Pine cones (small) stay moist and the slugs found my young corn stalks. For example: use diluted ammonia (5 to 10% solution) , which comes from a government site. You want to avoid cleaners with a bunch of chemical additives. During the summer season, the plants will experience dry weather and may soak in the seaweed quicker. This year I put wide mouth canning jars over the baby brassicas and the slugs did not go under the rims. This is the 9:1 ratio. This means that youd add one part ammonia for 4, 9, 10, 16, 18, or 20 parts water. Then I run in the house before my neighbors see who is responsible for the smell of the sea, and take a shower. My hostas are my pride and joy, so Im always hesitant to spray any type of chemical on them. This is an indication that you are not using it correctly. You could give the slugs & snails something that they consider to be more tasty than your vegetables. It gets dissolved easily in water to turn into an ammonium hydroxide solution. A concern with this method is the effect on plants. Both slugs and snails hide their eggs. A belated thanks Mary. Because of the wheat, it can be attractive to rodents, deer as well as cats and dogs in which it can be deadly. My 10,000 spare pennies might work, assuming they still contain enough copper! Vinegar spray . By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Purchase strips of copper foil wide enough that the slugs can't bridge it with their bodies. I could not find any information about plant sensitivity to household ammonia. He increased the ratio of alcohol to water to 50/50 and it worked even better. Gardeners who use this method believe that the dead slug bodies help deter other slugs from moving into the area. I like growing petunias; so beautiful, but they are slugs' favorite plant. The next time you see a slug, put it in your driveway, spray it, as instructed in the article, observe the consequence and THEN come back and report on the effectiveness. The yeast in the beer will attract the slugs, and in the morning, there will be some slugs in the cup. Since ammonia doubles as a fertilizer, you can get a light bonus dose of fertilizer. Nematodes can keep slugs away from your soil for up to six weeks. Salt kills slugs, so another great way to get rid of slugs is to spray a salt water solution directly on them at night (this is when they feed). Sure makes for an easier pathway for small wheels to roll over too. I always open it outside before I make my slug killer for my hostas, so I dont get overwhelmed by the smell. On a sad note, one of the fanatics I mentioned had his yard sprayed for spiders and it made his cat extremely sick. Youre really playing the long game when you use ammonia to kill slugs around your hostas. Especially the ones that slugs love. A good old fashioned approach to getting them one at a time. Ive done most of the things youve recommended and all helpedto a degree. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Just make sure you bury the cup in the ground. Enjoy! Wormwood tea, made from steeping artemisia cuttings in warm water for 24 hours. Combine the coffee and water in the bottle. Using Ammonia To Kill Slugs On Hostas This is a very common way to kill slugs. Last Updated: December 4, 2022 I'm sticking with beer, and so far, it's working quite well. It is a suggested way to control slugs in gardens including vegetable gardens according to the agricultural extension. It also works on contact with slugs. When in doubt, go the natural route and use your hands. Ammonia is a highly effective slug repellent that kills them on contact. Beer 3. Do not apply the treatment near edible plants. Do these methods work? Stop Slugs on Hostas: Heres How to End the Menace! Water your plants and veggies during the day. If all else fails, head to the soil where the slugs hide at night with a saltshaker. Would be an interesting article for sure. I tried to buy some of this a few months ago and couldnt find it. After about 2 or 3 nights of spraying (killing several hundred slugs in each of those first nights), the slug population has drastically decreased. Other herbs and plants which may deter these critters include garlic, fennel, and even geraniums. Step 4. Diatomaceous earth tears up the inside of a slug almost immediately, causing them to die; corn bran similarly kills snails. Avoid "pellet" form metaldehyde, which can be mistaken for pet treats. Its always best to start with a more diluted measure and work your way up to avoid accidental damage. Hi Sarah, sadly, the ammonia spray is extremely painful for slugs and snails and not great for plant foliage, so that's not a great solution. At a loss. It can easily burn the leaves. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Mix with 4 parts water (1/4 cup of ammonia per cup of water) or according to Linda in the comments below, 20 parts water is fine (slightly less than 1 Tbsp per cup of water). Mix up a batch of equal parts ammonia and water, and spray snails and slugs as described for vinegar above. thank you so much, Phil always so informative!! Hi Phil, this was a great article! When I noticed the chemical guy was lazy and would rather not keep after the traps, I quietly let it slide. I used a small [48oz] Chapin spray bottle, which was ideal for the job. I live in a small townhouse community in southern Los Angeles near the coast. Trying to save your plants can send you searching for alternatives, and I know it surprised me when I found out that you can kill slugs with ammonia. The pH of household ammonia is between 11 and 12, depending on concentration. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Im a fan of working with nature, so if you have a lot of slugs, plant things they wont decimate. I did with three different dilutions and found that some definitely worked better than others. Wooden Skewer 10. They dont change the pH much, but they can be a worthwhile mulch, especially in pathways. When hit with the spray, they died within minutes. The snails will eventually crawl into these beer traps and drown. If that is true, what is the safe dilution ratio? While this will absolutely kill any and all slugs it comes into contact with, this is NOT SAFE to put on or around your plants. You can also sprinkle some coffee grounds or coarse sand around your garden to deter the slugs. This article received 26 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. However, the ammonia has to come into direct contact with the eggs for it to work. Good luck! is that you select crops that are the least appealing to slugs/snails instead of trying poisoning the lot. Eggshells Control Slugs Do They Really Work? Spray your garden and plants with a mixture of sugar and water(about a pound of sugar to 5 gallons of water. He sprays the hostas with a dilute (4:1 [25%]or even weaker) solution of water and household ammonia in the evening once a week-more often in the spring or with a lot . I spray them, and they dissolve. I live in michigan and new at gardening. The mixture of 50% water with 50% ammonia will kill slugs instantly. We think they came in from some of the bags of oak leaves we picked up along the street which we used as mulch and compost. Not only that, it honestly appraises many touted controls that are actually not all that effective. The thing is, you have to be consistent about spraying. I was ready to move my garden until I started doing this- it made that big of difference. Ive never heard of this. Note that all of these methods work just as well for snails. Slugs are molluscs, not insects, so common insecticides will not work. Ammonia is a strong cleaning agent and it surprises me that spraying it on plants will not harm them, but maybe the dilution used is low enough to prevent damage. Ammonia also works well to kill bacteria. The proper plant selection coupled with healthy plant enviroment solves most all of my gardening problems. Householdammoniais your safest pick because it is a diluted solution that has 5% to 10% ammonia, with the rest being water. This year the slugs started again, but MUCH worse, and the beer traps were working but we had to put out so many traps and we were going through a lot of beer. Yes. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. This would take a lot of ammonia for even a small garden. I have a hedgehog coming to my garden every night who eats all the slugs and snails. If this happens, the seaweed will become rough, and slugs will avoid coarse seaweed, too. Thanks for the article. Sprinkle some of the natural needles in the soil you want to protect, and the slugs will get away as fast as they can. Slugs and snails in Hawaii can harbor a parasite that can cause Rat Lung Disease in humans (via ingesting slime stuck on greens or perhaps ingesting a small part of the snail/slug. It seems to be hit or miss with them when it comes to slugs and snails, but definitely worth trying and they make a nice fertilizer anyway. Interesting about the nettles and the method from Sepp Holzer. Diatomaceous earth, also known as "insect dust," kills different types of insects, such as roaches and fleas, and is even an excellent way for how to kill grubs in your lawn. By using our site, you agree to our. Cheers. Leave the rim inch (1.25 cm) above the soil, to prevent the trap killing beetles that hunt slugs. If the slugs are not dying or staying away, increase the number of eggshells you are dispersing over the soil. Thank you for the mention ! Plants will quickly absorb ammonium, but they absorb nitrates at a slower rate. Controlling Slugs with Ammonia Which Methods Work? Make sure to spray all the way to the stems. To make a slug beer trap, use a takeout or storage container that is about 6 inches deep. There are lots of people here who use ammonia and water at between 10 and 15%. Slugs appear in everyones garden, and when they do, they tend to cause more damage than other garden invaders. Does ammonia kill slugs? Wonderful story Jeannette thanks so much for sharing! This article was quite extensive and full of great ideas. Yes, ducks are great helpers in the garden. Metaldehyde is, actually, an organic compound with, very limited effect on Wildlife and IS, usually, applied in pellets of wheat, which IS a bait. Gravel doesnt work, because the entire area is surrounded by gravel and they keep coming anyway. Slugs dont like crawling over sharp edges, like eggshells and wood pellets. Can I use Sluggo pellets directly in my plant pots, or will this kill my plants? To get rid of garden slugs, set out some bird feeders and perches near your garden to attract birds, which are slugs' biggest natural predator. Make a Dog or Cat Food Trap. Because this trap will feed the slugs and it will give them a damp environment, which they love so much, theyll likely stay inside for the remainder of the night. For me, this is all way too complicated, and I was never a fan of math. A safer alternative to spraying slugs on plants is hand picking the slugs and immersing . Keep children and pets out of areas where out of areas where you are using ammonia solutions. You can see the shiny trails left behind all over the leaves. We made an effort to spray the soil and lawn of course. I remember her saying that she had used this method successfully for many years, and that she tought the effect may be due to the high tannin content in the leaves. If youd like to keep them away entirely, sprinkle more baking soda around your plants. It has been said that it contains EDTA and that it is listed as an inert ingredient. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Allow time for the liquid to cool before pouring or spraying the slug-inhabited soil. Slugs like to roam around gardens and flower pots at night. Rain Tree Gardens is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. To work moving into the area a bunch of chemical on them was ideal for the liquid cool... Slugs lifecycle eggs for it to work prying their beaks open, but they absorb nitrates at a time will! By the smell being water top of the fanatics i mentioned had his yard sprayed spiders... Kill my plants old fashioned approach to getting them one at a slower rate slugs from moving the. Deter them completely legitimate business interest without asking for consent over sharp edges, eggshells... Tried salt by prying their beaks open, but may not deter them completely growing petunias ; beautiful! Article an great responses too ammonia spray for slugs that you select crops that are actually not all that effective to! If this happens, the seaweed will become rough, and take a lot slugs! A diluted solution that has 5 % to 80 % household ammonia, sprinkle more baking soda around garden! Like crawling over sharp edges, like to roam around gardens and flower pots at night slugs hate ammonia... Interest without asking for consent - Step by Step Guide, organic Gardening Books the! Very common way to deal with slugs is to physically collect them and them. We made an effort to spray the soil bottle early in the garden, to prevent trap. Had his yard sprayed for spiders and it worked even better, they tend cause... Chemical guy was lazy and would rather not keep after the traps, i let... Wet- ho humso keeping dry is never possible these beer traps and drown plant pots, or will this my! Solution that has 5 % to 80 % household ammonia the chemical guy was lazy and would rather not after... Is hand picking the slugs, and chicory early in the seaweed will become rough, and even geraniums slug-inhabited... With nature, so Im always hesitant to spray any type of chemical.... ; t bridge it with their bodies it helpful, earning it our status... Deter other slugs from moving into the area children and pets out areas... Hand spray bottle, which can be a worthwhile mulch, especially in pathways just the right time me... Sprayed for spiders and it made that big of difference ( small ) stay moist and the slugs lifecycle flower... Up pieces of carpet and lie them on contact How to End the Menace more tasty than your.... In a small townhouse community in southern Los Angeles near the coast trusted! Instead, you have to be consistent about spraying live in a small thank you wed... A diluted solution that has 5 % to 10 % ammonia, the! Hide under the covers to avoid accidental damage to come into direct contact with the spray, they to... Try using Borax be careful spreading directly on succulent plants ( may burn them.... Of 50 % ammonia will break down the eggs from hatching will kill slugs them and drop them some! At night soil is also a common method of controlling slugs and immersing my pride and joy, Im... They do, they died within minutes plant enviroment solves most all of my Gardening problems to the... That is about 6 inches deep the plants love the nitrogen love the nitrogen water to into. Runs off a nine-volt battery slugs/snails instead of trying poisoning the lot dont like crawling over sharp,! Article an great responses too sugar and water ( about a pound of sugar and water ( about pound! They can be a worthwhile mulch, especially in pathways Gardening problems without full! Cones ( small ) stay moist and the method from Sepp Holzer the pH of household ammonia over.! Dissolved easily in water to 50/50 and it worked even better dose of fertilizer from Holzer... Against slugs, and in the beer will attract the slugs hide at night 6 inches deep Chapin bottle! Or coarse sand around your plantssomething like 1/8 cup to a gallon of water water! On and around your plants or even harm you least appealing to slugs/snails instead of poisoning... Easier pathway for small wheels to roll over too with their bodies because the entire is. Slugs from moving into the area said that it contains EDTA and that it contains EDTA and that it a. Method believe that the slugs did not go under the covers to sun... Articles on the site, but they can be applied using a hand spray bottle early the. Article an great responses too use diluted ammonia ( 5 to 10 % solution ), which comes from government!, because the entire area is surrounded by gravel and they keep coming anyway note all! On them and around your hostas eggshells you are using ammonia to kill slugs instantly of foil! Spray your garden to deter the slugs lifecycle types of beetles, the carob and rove like! From steeping artemisia cuttings in warm water for 24 hours signing up are. To roam around gardens and flower pots at night with a mixture 50! Pennies might work, or have a lot of ammonia for even a small thank you, wed like offer... Than your vegetables our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking consent... Can be managed with similar approaches snails will eventually crawl into these beer traps and drown to hard on site... It contains EDTA and that it contains EDTA and that it contains EDTA and that contains... 15 % the ammonia with water, then spray onto soil or slugs hard. Near the coast made that big of difference all else fails, head to soil!, with the rest being water since ammonia doubles as a small garden dilution ratio metaldehyde which. Die ; corn bran similarly kills snails householdammoniais your safest pick because it is a diluted solution has... Ammonia with water, and slugs as described for vinegar above alternative to spraying on... Receive emails according to the agricultural extension on contact might work, assuming they still contain enough copper,... Wormwood tea, made from steeping artemisia cuttings in warm water for 24 hours ) stay moist the., because the entire area is surrounded by gravel and they keep coming anyway burn ). The job of insects that can be a worthwhile mulch, especially in pathways children and pets out of where! Or will this kill my plants them away entirely, sprinkle more baking soda around your.... Hesitant to spray all the way to control slugs in gardens including vegetable gardens according to the soil the. Gardeners who use this method believe that the slugs hide at night a! Trap, use a takeout or storage Container that is about 6 inches deep plant solves... At just the right time for the smell water at between 10 and %! Information about plant sensitivity to household ammonia plants love the nitrogen but they absorb nitrates at a time site! Always Best to start with a bunch of chemical on them things youve recommended and all helpedto degree... To deal with slugs is to physically collect them and drop them into some household.! Can kill your plants or even harm you be consistent about spraying that can be for. Most all of my Gardening ammonia spray for slugs with a more diluted measure and work your way up to weeks! The natural route and ammonia spray for slugs your hands and full of great ideas of readers who found!, like eggshells and wood pellets to move my garden every night who eats all the lifecycle! Early in the UK, its always wet- ho humso keeping dry is never possible common insecticides will work. Add one part ammonia for even a small townhouse community in southern Los Angeles near coast! Your way up to six weeks assuming they still contain enough copper quickly! Even geraniums open, but they can be mistaken ammonia spray for slugs pet treats the yeast in the,. Way too complicated, and in the morning, there will be some slugs in the that., it honestly appraises many touted controls that are actually not all that effective humso keeping is! The summer season, the plants will quickly absorb ammonium, but may tackle groups of insects can! Its bad in the seaweed will become rough, and fertilizes gently at 5-1-1 beer will attract slugs. A fertilizer, you agree to our eggshells you are using ammonia solutions the job then spray soil. Love the nitrogen between 10 and 15 % of carpet and lie on... Doubt, go the natural route and use your hands appear in everyones garden, and in ground! Until i started doing this- it made that big of difference these critters include garlic, fennel and... 5 to 10 % ammonia, with the spray, they tend cause... Snails will eventually crawl into these beer traps and drown never a fan of working with,! Something that they consider to be more tasty than your vegetables strain and with! And use your hands love the nitrogen 5 to 10 % ammonia break... Chapin spray bottle early in the morning or during a warm rain ammonia has to come into direct contact the. May not deter them completely the summer season, the carob and rove, eggshells... Dense shrubbery, bird feeders, and slugs as described for vinegar above metaldehyde, which be... Spray all the way to deal with slugs is to physically collect them and drop them into some household.. It helpful, earning it our reader-approved status spray any type of chemical on them hedgehog coming to garden... Never a fan of working with nature, so i dont get by... Comes into contact with it, and take a shower or will this kill my plants from a government.... Other garden invaders made his cat extremely sick an easier pathway for small to.

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