Slugs and snails on the allotment

Every plot-holder has lost a row of seedlings overnight. Slugs and snails are part of allotment life, and the aim is to protect the plants that matter, not to wipe them out.

Live with them, protect what counts

The RHS is clear that slugs and snails can't and shouldn't be eradicated. It's better to learn to live with them and focus on protecting the plants most at risk.

The ones they go for first are seedlings, soft young shoots and anything particularly tasty. Young runner bean plants are one example the RHS flags.

What helps

Plant out sturdy plants

Transplant sturdy plants grown in pots, rather than young seedlings. Raising peas under cover helps with slugs and snails as well as mice.

Go out with a torch

Slugs feed at night. Torchlight searches on mild, damp evenings let you pick them off by hand.

Traps

Traps work if you look after them. Check and empty them regularly, ideally every morning.

Nematodes

Biological control with nematodes is watered into the soil. The RHS says spring to early autumn is the best time to apply them. Follow the supplier's instructions on soil temperature and timing.

Encourage predators

The RHS says predators should be encouraged.

What doesn't work as well as you'd think

An RHS study found no reduction in slug damage from barriers made of copper tape or bark. They may make you feel better, but don't rely on them.

Slug pellets: follow the label

The RHS says slug pellets, even organic ones, have been shown to have negative effects on garden wildlife.

If you choose to use any slug product, it's a pesticide, and the label is the law:

• Use it exactly as the label says.
• Only use products approved for amateur use. Professional products should never be used by untrained amateurs.
• Keep it in its original container. That's a legal requirement.
• Never pour any down the drain, toilet or sink.

Check your site rules too, and ask the committee before using any product on a shared site.

FAQs

What's the best way to stop slugs on an allotment?

Protect the plants most at risk. Plant out sturdy pot-grown plants instead of tiny seedlings, go out with a torch on damp evenings, and keep traps emptied.

Does copper tape stop slugs?

An RHS study found no reduction in slug damage from copper tape barriers.

Are slug pellets allowed on allotments?

Ask your site first, as it may have its own rules. If you use one, follow the label exactly. The RHS notes that pellets, even organic ones, can harm wildlife.

Your next step

This season, raise your most slug-prone crops in pots and plant them out as sturdy plants. Go out with a torch on the next mild, damp evening to see what you're dealing with.