This year, Romke van de Kaa’s garden was plagued by a veritable invasion of slugs, and none of the usual remedies worked. However, he managed to discover the “egg of Columbus” in the fight against this pest, and he is willing to share his experience.
The Year of the Slug
Welcome to the year 2024. For some, it was the year of the dragon, for others the year of the ferret or the sparrow. Despite all the animal wealth, this year was a true slug year for me.
The Battle Begins
The problems began when every plant I planted in my vegetable garden quickly suffered from slug attacks. This problem became a topic of conversation with friends and acquaintances, and I received a lot of advice. Some were quite cruel, from cutting the slugs with scissors to smashing them with a hammer. More humane methods included freezing the slugs overnight in the freezer.
Searching for Solutions
However, none of these methods produced the desired result. Even the use of parasitic nematodes did not help. I was amazed that plants from the onion family – such as garlic, green onions, and leeks – were not affected by the slugs. After discussing this peculiarity in the newspaper, I decided to conduct an experiment: surround my plants with a wall of chopped green onions. In response, I received many photos of slugs mercilessly destroying these onions. It seems that the behavior of slugs can vary greatly from region to region.
Discovering Neem Oil
But eventually, I found an effective remedy: a friend from a Surinamese family recommended using neem oil. I had never heard of it, but it turns out that this oil really exists. It is extracted from the fruit of the tropical tree Azadirachta indica and is known for its medicinal properties for skin diseases and is also used as an insecticide in organic farming. Interestingly, the neem tree has been the subject of biopiracy – patenting substances from wild plants.
Application and Success
Although you cannot buy neem oil in our village, you can find it in abundance on the internet. The application method is simple: mix a small amount of oil with a liter of water and add a little liquid soap to improve emulsification. Then spray the resulting solution on plants that are sensitive to slug attacks.
And so, dear readers, I am happy to report: after using neem oil, my basil and asparagus plants remained completely safe! Now we have to wait and see if they remain edible because although the oil is not toxic, it has a very strong smell reminiscent of motor oil. Stay tuned for more updates – I’ll definitely let you know later!
These tips emphasize your willingness to find a solution to your slug problem, and perhaps they will help many gardeners in their fight against this pest.
