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Slugs and
Snails
Closeup of Slug with
Typical Slime Trail
(Photo courtesy of Missouri
Botanical Garden PlantFinder)
Slugs and snails pose another threat to irises.
These land mollusks love to chew on iris leaves causing unsightly damage. The
open wounds they leave behind make the iris vulnerable to disease. If you
spot evidence of leaf chewing accompanied by a slime trail (see photo above),
you can be certain that these slimy creatures are helping themselves to your
irises at night. When slug or snail damage is present, baiting is a good
method of control. Bait selection can vary by area and environment, but a few
spreadable baits currently on the market include: Epsom salt (my personal
favorite), Bug-Geta (pellets), Deadline (liquid), and Deadline Force II (dust
free meal). Perhaps the best choice is Diatomaceous Earth, which has the added
benefit of controlling earwigs, silverfish, beetles, and crawling insects in
addition to slugs. Remember, all of these spreadable baits lose effectiveness
in sunlight and should be reapplied at dusk each day until evidence of night
chewing ceases. As an alternative to a nightly spread, copper tape will keep
slugs and snails out of an area because they will not cross it. For a smaller
garden, beer in a shallow cup or jar lid also works well. Once you eradicate
the mollusks, keeping the garden area clean is the best way to prevent
recurrence. Slugs and snails seek shade during the daylight hours; removing
their hiding spaces can also remove the problem.
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