Slug control

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Quick win for a greener, easier garden: build the habitat and let nature do the pest control. We’ve seen it here in Stamullen — hedgehogs, frogs, and birds keep slugs in check if we give them water, shelter, and a way in.

New here? Start with our simple primer: easy steps to a beautiful, wildlife-friendly garden.

1) Hedgehogs — the night-shift slug patrol

Hedgehogs are relentless. Log piles, leaf litter and undisturbed corners bring them in; chemical pellets keep them out. Make a 13 × 13 cm “hedgehog highway” gap under a fence and you’ve opened your garden for business.

Want the broader approach? See Wildlife Gardening — how we do it and our story about a hedgehog family turning up beside the compost: Gardening Stories.

Fast actions (10–30 mins)

Cut a small wildlife access gap in one fence panel.
Stack a simple log/branch pile in a quiet corner (no strimming!).
Keep a shallow dish of clean water at ground level.

2) Frogs & a Small Pond — your low-effort slug solution

If you can add one feature this year, make it a mini-pond with a sloping edge. No fish, plenty of native plant cover. Within a season or two you’ll notice fewer slug problems and more life around the beds.

How we build and plant: check the pond steps in Gardening Projects and the family version in Family Gardening Projects. For pollinator planting around the edges, see Wildflower Gardening and our Wildflower Meadows guide.

Pond checklist (works for a half-barrel or small liner)

Shallow beach edge (stones or gravel) + one deeper pocket.
Native plants for cover and oxygen: water mint, yellow flag iris, brooklime.
Zero pesticides; keep nearby grass a little long for shelter.

3) Birds & Ground Beetles — the daytime clean-up crew

Blackbirds, thrushes and robins pick off slugs; ground beetles hoover up slug eggs. What they need from us is simple: hedges instead of bare fences, a bit of leaf litter, and regular water.

Easy bird boost? Top up a simple bath and put it near cover. We keep a few notes under Bird Feeder and more general tips under Eco-friendly Gardening Tips.

Habitat in 5 moves

Leave a wild island (1×1 m) of longer grass + leaves.
Plant a native shrub layer (hazel, guelder rose, spindle) — see Pocket Woodlands.
Add a water source (pond or dish) and keep it clean.
Compost, don’t spray — Compost Basics + No-Dig.
Plant nectar around veg beds (foxglove, honeysuckle, yarrow) — see meadow guide.

What this looks like in our garden

Hedgehog highways + log pile by the compost (they actually moved in).
Mini-pond beside the south-facing wall; frogs arrived the first season.
Loose leaves left in “wild islands” for beetles; less slug damage on greens.

Bottom line: build habitat once, benefit for years.

Join us — make one change this week

Pick your starting point and tag us when you do it:

Cut a hedgehog gap and add a water dish tonight.
Place a half-barrel pond by the veg beds this weekend.
Leave a wild island (no mowing, no strimming) for beetles.

Then hop to Wildlife Gardening for next steps, and if you’re new here, start with Start Here.

Let Nature Tackle Slugs — Invite the Predators In