Diatomaceous Earth or DE for short, is a fantastic and effective alternative to the usual, beer in a cup or salt-based slug bait that can have serious adverse effects on your plants as well as any animals like your pets that might come into contact with it on accident. Slugs, are slow and slimy but boy can they eat!
Diatomaceous Earth is great for the soil, so you are essentially doing two in one when you use DE in your garden. You get to give your garden a welcomed boost of silica which will strengthen plants making them harder for bugs to eat and you’ll be ridding your garden of veggie thieves.
Here’s how we recommend tackling the issue. It’s really easy.
Slugs are slimy and of course love moisture which is why they make their appearances usually at night. So to make it not so attractive for slugs, try watering your garden early in the morning rather than in the evening giving the garden time to dry out.
Grab a handful of either Fine Diatomaceous Earth or <2mm Diatomaceous Earth and spread it on and around the base of the plant. This becomes a barrier that will discourage the slugs from climbing up the plant but if they are persistent and do climb up the DE that they crawled over will quickly dehydrate and kill them.
Diatomaceous Earth is not effective when wet, but that said DE will work again as soon as it dries out. But to get the maximum effect, apply on dry soil and try avoiding watering your garden for a day or two.
If there is heavy rainfall you will need to reapply the DE as it will wash away into the soil. Repeat the process as often as you need.
Shop for Fine Diatomaceous Earth or <2mm Diatomaceous Earth in our store now!
When using DE we recommend wearing a protective mask for your own safety and well being.