Still Annoying Garden Pests

In short: Handpicking works for light infestations; heavier ones need molluscicide granules, non-toxic slug traps with attractant, or nematodes (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita). Against voles, mow grass, keep trunks clear and use traps, gel baits or irregular-signal repellers – after a rodenticide it should not rain for at least 10 hours. Caterpillars respond best to pyrethrin-based products.

Every garden has some kind of pest. Sometimes it's aphids or other insects, some people struggle with slugs and rodents.

Although this battle sometimes seems endless, today there are already tips, methods and products that can help you get rid of these pests. Not all problems can be solved with one intervention, so be persistent even if you don't see clear results at first.

Slugs and Snails

Snails and slugs plague many gardens. Especially slugs are capable of destroying young plants, leafy vegetables or strawberries. They seek out young and soft tissues, leaving leaf veins alone. All slugs love moisture and come out mainly after rain. The presence of these pests is very easy to detect by their shiny slime trails. They thrive in damp weather, mild autumns and winters, and heavy, non-drying soils.

Spanish Slug

This introduced brown-orange slug has been plaguing gardens and fields for several years. It can cause significant damage and reproduces quickly. If it appears in your garden, you need to start fighting it - sometimes it's enough to collect and eliminate the slugs (a handful of salt will do the job), but if the infestation is more intense, it's advisable to use molluscicides (anti-slug products) or slug traps. More information about fighting slugs and snails can be found below.

Garden Snail

Everyone knows these classic snails with large right-spiraling shells. They seek out calcareous alkaline soils and moist habitats. They are quite widespread, but they don't pose a major threat to cultivated crops. They mainly feed on weed plants. If we catch a snail in the garden, it's enough to take it and carry it a few dozen meters away.

Field Slug

This is a small slug that is not capable of causing major damage. It can be dangerous for germinating seedlings or may nibble on strawberries. We most often encounter it between lettuce leaves. If you want to get rid of these small slugs, read on.

Defense Against Slugs

We can reduce the occurrence of slugs through some preventive steps. The goal is to make their stay in your garden unpleasant enough that the treats from your bed aren't worth it. Moisture is key for slugs, so it's necessary to mow surrounding undergrowth frequently, not have plants too densely packed, and it has also proven excellent to water in the morning rather than in the evening - the water soaks down to the roots, but the soil surface dries quickly, which deters slugs. You can also try spreading a layer of lime or soot around the bed; slugs won't cross this barrier.

It's also good to encourage the presence of animals that feed on slugs in your garden - mainly snakes, toads, hedgehogs and ducks.

If the intensity of occurrence exceeds the threshold where they can be collected and disposed of manually, it's time to start with chemical or biological protection.

Granulated preparations called molluscicides are manufactured against slugs and snails. These can either be scattered around the garden or placed under some kind of shelter. Slugs are attracted by the scent of the granules, but these are poisonous to them and they die. The granules can be dissolved by rain showers, so it's better to hide them under some shelter.

If you have a pet or small children, this protection is not very suitable because the granules are also highly poisonous to them. It's dangerous for an animal to eat even a dead slug that has died from the effects of molluscicide. Dead slugs must be collected and removed from the garden. This is a very effective method, but due to the toxicity of the granules, it cannot always be used.

If you're looking for a non-toxic method, slug traps are ideal. In this case, a trap with a roof is placed in the bed at ground level. In the cavity of the trap is water mixed with an attractant, a substance that lures slugs. The slug crawls to the trap, falls into the water and drowns. There are no toxic substances in the water. The trap must be emptied every few days, washed out and refilled with water and attractant.

A buried jar with beer can become a similar, though not as effective, trap. The scent of beer also attracts slugs. If they fall into the jar, they drown.

The last option is so-called biological control. This uses organisms that parasitize the given species. Against slugs, nematodes Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita are applied in the form of a drench. Together with water, the nematodes get into the soil and find their hosts - slugs. They enter them through breathing openings. Inside the host's body they then multiply until the slug dies from the consequences of their attack. They are then released into the soil, reproduce and the larvae find new slugs. The nematodes are completely harmless to all other organisms.

Moles, Voles and Rodents

If any of these pests appear in the garden, they can cause disaster. Although moles create unsightly mounds in the garden, they are the least harmful of these three animals, and can even benefit the garden in some ways - they aerate the soil, feed on some harmful insects, and the soil from molehills is also a good growing substrate.

Voles and rodents cause damage primarily by gnawing on roots and tree trunks, or by eating entire cultivated plants. They can cause a lot of damage in the garden, so it's good to know how to recognize their presence and effectively defend against them.

Common Vole

This inconspicuous rodent feeds on leaves, bark and plant roots. It measures 10 - 15 cm, has a short tail and fur in various shades of grey-brown to reddish-brown. They usually live in colonies of several individuals, but each has its own burrow.

Voles reproduce very quickly - their population can increase up to a hundredfold within a year. Therefore, at certain intervals (usually three or seven years, but often longer), overpopulation and gradations occur. The number of voles peaks for a maximum of two years, after which their numbers drop sharply.

The presence of voles is indicated by gnawed tree trunks just above or below ground level (unlike water voles, they don't reach too deep into the roots). You'll also find burrow exits with a diameter of 3-4 cm and trampled paths between individual burrows.

Some preventive measures can be taken against voles - mainly keeping grass mowed, leaving an area around tree trunks free of vegetation, and supporting the presence of natural rodent predators - owls, birds of prey or cats.

Chemical protection is also possible, but after using a rodent control product, it shouldn't rain for at least 10 hours. Poisonous granules are either scattered on the soil surface or placed in burrows. However, they are highly toxic to other animals as well, including pets. For moles, voles and water voles, there are also gel formulations that can be applied to burrow walls or around the entrance. The rodent rubs against it and later licks it off its fur, causing poisoning.

Traps can also be used (sometimes even a classic mouse trap works) and electronic repellers - see water vole section.

Water Vole

The water vole is the largest species of vole-like rodent in our region. It can grow up to twenty centimetres and resembles a rat in appearance. It occurs mainly near watercourses. It causes damage primarily to the roots of various plants and trees.

The presence of water voles can be identified by their tunnels - they run relatively shallow below the surface, creating ridges in the soil. If we scrape away the soil, we usually find remains of its food. It feeds on roots and green parts of plants. Of cultivated crops, it particularly favours apple tree roots and root vegetables. When planting young trees in vulnerable areas, it's advisable to protect the roots with wire mesh.

Getting rid of water voles can sometimes be difficult, but don't be discouraged by initial failure.

Sometimes electronic rodent repellers can work against these pests. They emit either an audible or ultrasonic signal that can drive the rodents away. However, you need to be aware that if you have a large garden, one repeller may not be enough - it will only drive rodents away from its range. Repellers emitting an irregular signal are more effective because rodents can get used to regular sounds. This repelling system may not always be effective, but it is low-maintenance, requires little upkeep, and is completely safe. If you have pets, they may not like this repeller near the house.

Voles generally hate noise, and some people manage to drive them away just by frequent lawn mowing or rattling windmills made from plastic bottles.

Against voles, we can also use various types of poisonous baits and traps. Baits are placed in burrows or in front of their entrances. Again, they are unsuitable to use if you have pets or small children at home. Poisoned voles that a dog or cat might eat also pose a danger.

Traps are placed in active burrows or right in front of them.

Voles are cautious and suspicious. If you leave your scent on traps or baits, they probably won't get caught. Therefore, work either with gloves, or at least rub fresh soil in your hands before handling.

Strong odors can also repel these rodents, although they usually just move a few meters away. However, this can be effective if you only want to drive them away from a flower bed. In such cases, you can try planting strongly aromatic plants like garlic or marigolds. You can also try inserting strongly scented or smelly substances directly into the burrow - for example, a cloth soaked in gasoline, cigarette butts, cheese spreads, or even fur from a larger predator, such as a dog.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars and larvae are the larval stages of various insect species. Although the adults are usually harmless or even beneficial, voracious caterpillars can cause significant damage, such as defoliating entire trees or completely destroying part of a crop.

If there are few caterpillars, there's no need to worry about them. If there are a bit more, you can try picking them off manually. But when overpopulation occurs, defense is appropriate, either biological or chemical.

Biological protection against caterpillars consists of applying a solution with Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria, which attacks and eliminates caterpillars. However, this method of protection is not very effective, as the insects usually quickly compensate for the losses. Chemical protection is more effective, which is usually based on the natural alkaloid pyrethrin, which is found in poisonous chrysanthemum species.

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