Content
There are different ways to get rid of slugs in a greenhouse. If the invasion is not very large, folk remedies and mechanical traps help. You can scatter egg or nut husks and mustard powder along the beds, and treat the plantings themselves with an infusion of garlic or chili pepper. Traps also give good results - you can buy them in a store or make them yourself.
Signs of slugs in a greenhouse
To get rid of slugs in a greenhouse, you need to know the signs of their appearance. First of all, they can be identified visually. Slugs are mollusks without shells, which distinguishes them from common garden snails. The body is quite large, reaching 3-5 cm in length, sometimes even up to 15-30 cm. The color is varied: from pale gray and ashy, to yellowish, brown and brown.
Slugs appear in the greenhouse at night, since in the morning and during the day they prefer to hide in shelters (corners, thickets, stones, plant debris, heaps). The main signs of pests:
- damaged stems in young seedlings;
- holes on sheet plates;
- holes in fruits, berries;
- mucus on the surface of plants, on the walls of the greenhouse;
- dry shiny stripes that can be seen not only on the leaves, but also on the surface of the soil.
The name of the pests is related to the fact that they secrete mucus - a thick or liquid secretion. Lubrication reduces friction, which allows them to move not only along horizontal, but also along vertical surfaces in the greenhouse.
Causes of defeat
Slugs are distributed almost everywhere, especially in the temperate climate zone (middle zone, Chernozem region, Volga region, southern regions of Russia). It is impossible to completely insure against this pest, since invasions are observed almost every season.
Slugs are active at night
At the same time, there are several factors that can provoke the appearance of a pest in a greenhouse and in open ground:
- cloudy, rainy weather;
- moderately warm summers;
- too thick, dense plantings;
- high humidity;
- uncollected garbage, stones, old furniture, heaps of grass.
Why are slugs dangerous?
Slugs pose a danger to greenhouse and outdoor plantings in spring, summer and autumn, so they need to be gotten rid of. Pests eat mainly leaves of plants - cabbage, strawberries and other berries, cucumbers, tomatoes, grapes.
They skillfully crawl from one planting to another and can destroy almost all plants. Slugs in a greenhouse pose a particular danger, since a constantly humid environment with high air temperatures is created here - these are favorable conditions for the life of the mollusk.
Another danger is related to the fact that slugs are carriers of viruses and fungi, which can lead to massive infection of plants. If measures are not taken, crop losses can be quite significant.If shellfish and indirect signs of their appearance are detected, it is necessary to immediately begin exterminating the pest.
How to deal with slugs in a greenhouse
It is quite possible to completely remove slugs from a greenhouse, since there are quite a few proven means for this. The mollusks are large, so at first they are simply removed by hand or traps are set. At the same time, processing is carried out, and agrotechnical techniques are also applied.
Mechanical methods
First of all, slugs in the greenhouse are collected by hand. Other mechanical methods of fighting are also used:
- Traps. To do this, pour cornmeal or wet newspaper into a jar, dig it into the soil or lay it on its side, and leave it overnight. Then the collected pests are destroyed.
- Mechanical barriers - bottoms, walls, necks of plastic bottles, old slate or wooden sides are suitable. They can be treated with tar, which will repel slugs just a few meters from the plantings in the greenhouse.
- You can also buy inexpensive traps at a country store and bury them in the ground.
- It is permissible to put a bottle with a small amount of beer (preferably dark), cut the neck, dig it in the soil, and in the morning collect the caught mollusks.
You can catch slugs in a dark beer can
Chemical repellents for slugs in a greenhouse
Recently, quite a lot of chemicals have appeared that help get rid of slugs and other shellfish in the greenhouse. The most effective means include the following: “Thunderstorm”, “Ulicid”, “Slug Eater”.
Agrotechnical techniques
Agrotechnical methods are mainly used to prevent the appearance of slugs:
- Digging the soil every autumn and spring to a depth of at least 5 cm. Slugs lay eggs in the soil (about 3 cm).They are white or translucent.
- Ensuring normal planting density. Even if there is little space, a certain distance must be left between seedlings - usually from 30 cm. Dense plantings create favorable conditions not only for slugs, but also for insects, as well as fungal infections.
- Regular weeding, loosening the soil. It is also necessary to periodically change the mulch (straw, sawdust, hay).
Fighting slugs in a greenhouse with folk remedies
You can fight slugs in a greenhouse using folk remedies. The easiest way is to scatter the following substances around the perimeter of the plantings:
- chopped chili pepper;
- chalk;
- slaked lime or superphosphate (30 g per square meter);
- tobacco dust, shag;
- nut or egg shells;
- mustard powder.
You can get rid of slugs using available folk remedies
You can also treat plants or paths with the following compounds:
- Table salt – 100 g per 10 l. In this case, only the area is sprayed, for example, around the perimeter of plantings in a greenhouse.
- Soda ash - scatter the powder in small quantities along the borders of the greenhouse and along the paths, and also walk through secluded corners where shellfish may accumulate.
- Mustard powder - 50 g per glass of water, leave for several hours and dilute four times (up to 1 l). Carry out total treatment of plants.
- Infusion of garlic cloves and arrows - chop 300 g, add 10 liters of water and leave for two days, strain, process the plantings.
- Take 1 kg of chili peppers, chop them, add a bucket of water at room temperature. Leave for 72 hours. Then boil for a few minutes and leave for 2-3 days. Strain and process the plantings.
- Take coffee, dissolve 2 tsp. in a small glass. Water the soil along the paths.This is a fairly effective remedy - usually two treatments are enough.
- Infuse the leaves of the delphinium flower - 1 kg of crushed raw materials per 10 liters of moderately warm water. The infusion is prepared for two days, after which the product is filtered and the processing of the plantings begins.
- Ammonia - 4 tbsp. l. for 1 bucket of water. Water the soil next to the plantings.
Preventive measures
The appearance of slugs in a greenhouse can be completely prevented. Experienced gardeners recommend using the following methods of prevention:
- Ventilate the greenhouse regularly, especially after watering and spraying. On hot days, doors and vents are left open around the clock to ensure maximum flow of fresh air.
- Treat the greenhouse against slugs in the spring using the chemicals described above or folk remedies. First, you need to thoroughly wash all surfaces with detergent, and then spray. You can also use sulfur bombs to kill pests.
- In the fall, carefully remove all plant debris, since pests can overwinter in them. Do not create piles near the greenhouse or beds - this is an ideal environment for slugs and numerous insects.
- Remove the lower leaves of tomatoes, cabbage and other crops. They are the ones that attract slugs in the first place and create conditions of high humidity.
Conclusion
You can get rid of slugs in a greenhouse quite quickly, especially at the first stage of the invasion, when there are not so many pests and they have not yet had time to lay eggs. Destruction begins with traps and mechanical collection of mollusks. After this, the plantings are treated with drugs or solutions according to folk recipes.It is also necessary to observe preventive measures, especially in spring and autumn.
