How to get rid of slugs on cabbage with simple remedies

During rainy summers and cloudy autumns, cabbage can be attacked by slugs. They cause significant damage to the crop, damaging leaves and causing head rot. There are various ways to control them, including chemicals and folk remedies. It's worth noting that folk remedies, unlike other treatments, are safe for the crop and humans, but they eliminate the pests permanently.

What do slugs look like?

This gastropod mollusk has a slippery, elongated body no more than 5 centimeters long. Its almost black color makes it easy to spot against green foliage. Its main characteristic is its nocturnal lifestyle, which it only emerges to hunt at dusk or at night.

The pest feeds on cabbage leaves. Besides cabbage, it often attacks neighboring crops. Tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and eggplants are also susceptible. The mollusk thrives in dark, humid places. Ideal habitats for slugs include rotting logs, rusty buckets, and wet firewood.

The main signs that cabbage is being attacked by slugs are:

• the appearance of large holes on cabbage leaves;
• the appearance of silvery mucus;
• the vegetable begins to wither and grow poorly.

If all of the above factors are present, then immediately begin saving the crop, otherwise the slugs will eat it completely without the possibility of recovery.

What harm does it cause?

Besides the cabbage losing its appearance due to the holes it has chewed, it also becomes susceptible to a variety of infections. Slugs are carriers of virtually every known disease. They infect vegetables with rot, powdery mildew, late blight, and other equally serious diseases.

Reasons for occurrence

Slugs most often migrate to cabbage from a neighboring plant or from a nearby plot. High humidity and cool temperatures encourage the pests to appear. Cloudy weather and temperatures hovering around 20-22 degrees Celsius (68-72 degrees Fahrenheit) are ideal conditions for slugs.

Sometimes gardeners themselves provoke mollusc attacks by failing to treat their greenhouses in the spring and fall, or by neglecting to till the soil and apply insecticides. This neglectful approach to growing crops leads to tragic consequences.

How to get rid of

Folk remedies can help get rid of slugs. They work by creating a pungent odor or bitter taste, which slugs absolutely detest. Two to three treatments are enough to eliminate the pests from your vegetables and prevent them from returning.

Vinegar

The most common way to eradicate pests is to prepare a vinegar solution. The sour taste and smell immediately repel slugs, and they leave.

Dilute the solution:

• 100 ml vinegar 9%;
• 10 liters of water.

Pour the resulting mixture into a spray bottle and spray it on the cabbage, focusing on the lower part and under the leaves. You can also water the soil around the cabbage with diluted vinegar. Repeat the treatment after 3-4 days.

Ammonia

Another substance with a distinctive odor is ammonia. The ammonia it contains has a beneficial effect on the development of green mass in cabbage heads, and after treatment, the cabbage will become lush.

To treat, dissolve 4 tablespoons of alcohol in a bucket of water and spray the solution on the cabbage heads. Apply once every 5-7 days. Two or three applications of ammonia are enough to eliminate the pests forever.

Mustard powder with pepper

The mixture has a miraculous effect and is able to remove pests even after the first time.

Prepare the supplement:

• 10 liters of hot water;
• 3 tbsp mustard powder;
• a glass of hot pepper, chopped into small pieces.

The mixture is left to steep for 2-3 days, then strained and used to spray the entire crop from top to bottom, including the soil. Repeat the treatment 7 days after the first application to consolidate the results.

Onion peel decoction

A common onion can be very useful in the fight against mollusks. Peel 4-5 onions, add them to a saucepan, and add 5 liters of water. Boil the mixture for 20-30 minutes, then let it steep for another 24 hours. Strain the solution and spray the cabbage once a week, 3-4 times a month.

Prevention

To avoid wasting time fighting pests, you can avoid their attacks. Prevention is the surest way to prevent them. Slugs will definitely not come to your garden if:

• Before planting, carefully dig up the soil and treat it with copper sulfate (2% solution) or potassium permanganate;
• During cultivation, do not overwater the cabbage. Allow the soil to dry out before watering again.
• A thin layer of ash or lime is sprinkled on the soil near the cabbage. They are harmful to mollusks;
• Plant lemon balm, mint, dill, or onion near cabbage heads. Plants with strong odors repel not only slugs but also most insects.

Adviсe

To effectively combat slugs, you can use several useful tips:

• Some of the slugs are removed by hand. This is done as soon as it gets dark outside. Using a flashlight, they shine a light on some cabbage leaves and collect the pests in a jar. Then, the jar is burned.

• Place low slats or plastic bottles near the cabbage. Slugs will be scared by the obstacles and won't attack the cabbage.
• Slugs are sometimes attracted by special baits: sweet syrup is poured into a deep bowl of water. This attracts the mollusks, who fall into the water and then die.

Most pest control efforts are short and successful. The sooner action is taken, the less damage will be done to the crop. Slugs are among the easiest pests to control, but if left untreated, they can pose a significant threat.