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Use Epsom Salt to Protect Against Slugs and Snails

As our Florida “cold snaps” grow fewer and further apart, heat and sunshine reign unchallenged, leading to the first appearances of slugs and snails in the garden. At first they seem small and few, but as time marches forward, they multiply, growing ever-larger. There is a natural solution to keeping these little guys away from your garden. That solution is Epsom Salt!

Epsom Salt in contrast to table salt, contains micronutrients such as sulfur and magnesium. It can be used as a natural barrier or a foliar solution to ward off our slimy little invaders.  

*Cucumber and Squash leaves are particularly susceptible to slugs and snails.


Foliar Solution: Mix one Tablespoon of Epsom Salt into a gallon water. Spray or lightly apply this solution to the leaves of your plants up to once a month. 


Barrier Method: Make a line of Epsom Salt around the edge of your garden, creating a barrier around the perimeter. Slugs and Snails will not cross this barrier because if they do, they will not survive. Remember that Slugs and Snails cannot fly, they can only crawl, it will be impossible for them to cross the Epsom Salt Barrier. 


Container Gardens: Trying to decide which method to use for you container garden? Create small Epsom Salt Barrier around the base of each of your containers. For example, if a plant is growing in a round pot, then make a round Epsom Salt Barrier around the base of the pot. 


The Slug Beer Trap Myth: Many people say to put a little bowl of beer out near the garden to attract snails and slugs away from the garden. This is False. This does nothing more than attract snails and slugs from a farther distance to the area of the garden. This causes the snail/slug problem to multiply. 

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