Slugs can be disastrous to your plants. You must find a way to prevent them from gaining access to your plants. There are many environmentally friendly methods to use, including using slug barrier tape. But how to use slug barrier tape?
Slug barrier tape is used to repel slugs from the garden. It is a type of copper tape that is placed around the edges of your raised beds, planters, tubs, pots, and gardens. You should use strips that are two inches wide and have a high copper alloy percentage to stop snails from reaching your plants.
In addition to slug barrier tape, there are several other methods of slug deterrence. The majority of these methods are humane and all of them avoid the use of pesticides and chemicals.
How to use slug barrier tape?
Slug barrier tape is made out of copper. To use it, you will need to place it as a barrier around the edge of your raised beds, planters, tubs, or pots. This is an environmentally friendly method of preventing slugs from getting into your plants.
The interaction of the slime on a slug or snail and the copper in the tape creates a reaction that deters the slug/snail from crossing the barrier. You will need to ensure that you provide a thick enough barrier. If it’s not wide enough, the slugs can get across.
Additionally, you will need to select a tape with a high enough copper alloy percentage. If the ratio is not high enough, the tape will not deter the slugs.
Where do you put slug tape?
You will put the tape around the planter as a barrier to the slugs. You can cut the tape with pinking shears to create a decorative design.
Place the tape around the rim of the planter. If you are putting it on an outdoor surface, you may need to use outdoor mounting tape as an initial layer to ensure that the copper tape will stick.
For wooden raised plant beds, you may need to use nails to ensure that the tape stays affixed to the side of the planter. You will also place the tape around the rim of this type of planter.
How to use copper tape?
The copper tape must be the correct width to deter slugs. Otherwise, the slugs will just crawl over the tape to get to the other side. The wider the band is, the better.
You will need to cut strips of this tape to place around the rims of your planters.
Additionally, if you have an outdoor table, you can put tape around the table legs and place the planters on top of the table. This will prevent slugs from accessing the tabletop.
How to use copper slug rings?
Copper slug rings are that go around the stems of your plants in your garden. They are opened with a spring catch and can be linked together to make larger rings. These rings can be left in the garden all winter long.
Alternatively, you can make your own copper slug rings if you have spare copper lying around. You will cut the copper into strips and then clean it with salt dissolved in vinegar to remove the tarnish.
Once the strips are clean, you will need to shape them into rings using a bottle. After this is done, you can place the rings around your plants, closing off the connection. Just make sure that no part of your plants is accessible outside of the rings.
How wide should copper tape be for slugs?
The copper tape needs to be at least 2 inches wide to prevent slugs from crossing. If it is any narrower, larger slugs will be able to stretch across the tape without making contact.
However, even at this width, some slugs will still get by. 10 – 20 percent of slugs will still be able to bypass the copper barrier. Because of this, go wide whenever possible.
It can be wider than 2 inches but anything less is not ideal.
Do slug fences work?
There are many different kinds of slug fences. They provide protection from slugs for your plants. The efficacy of the fence depends on the type of material used.
Metal slug fences have a particular bent, overhanging edge. This edge is impossible for slugs to climb over, making this a very efficient and humane deterrent. The metal is typically galvanized steel coated in zinc, which protects it from rusting.
Metal fences are the most effective type of mechanical fencing. Like all other types of slug fences, they repel the slugs without the need for pesticides and chemicals.
Plastic slug fences work in the same fashion as their metal counterparts. They also have a bent, overhanging edge that slugs cannot traverse. These are not as effective as metal fences as they do not come with corner connectors.
Fences made out of copper are also an option. These are not always as effective. They are constructed out of wire mesh or tape. 80 – 90 percent of slugs are deterred by this type of structure.
While less humane, electric fencing is also an option. It consists of two wires connected to batteries. The wires will shock the slugs when they’re both touched at the same time. The correct voltage has to be used or you will end up killing the slugs instead of shocking them.
Final thoughts
Slug barrier tape is a humane way to deter slugs from destroying your plants. It can be used in a variety of locations, including planters, raised plant beds, pots, and tubs. Copper tape is highly effective against the majority of invading slugs. When using it, you will need to ensure that you have a high enough percentage of copper alloy present.
Copper slug rings and slug fences are also great deterrents for slugs. These devices are easily installed and last a long time.
You can choose your slug deterrent from a variety of options. All of these options offer a chemical and pesticide-free method of protection for your plants.
