Slug Control Products

Slug pellets, reusable slug traps, copper barrier tape, and diatomaceous earth. Choose the method that suits your garden, the level of activity, and where you need protection - pots, beds, borders, patios, or allotments.

Ferric phosphate. Metaldehyde pellets have been banned for outdoor use in Great Britain since 2022, so anything you buy now uses ferric phosphate instead. Always read the label and follow the stated dosage; more is not better, and scattered pellets should be thin and spread rather than heaped.

Suitability varies by product type. Always read the label and use as directed, and keep children and pets away from treated areas as instructed. If you want to reduce exposure risk, consider traps or barrier methods such as copper tape, and place any treatments securely and only where needed.

Focus on damp hotspots and hiding places: around the base of vulnerable plants, under pots, along bed edges, near fences, and anywhere you see slime trails. Place traps near cover and along likely routes. Apply copper tape around clean, dry rims of pots, planters or raised beds for a continuous barrier, pressing firmly for good contact. Always follow the label for placement and dosage.

Some methods cope better with damp conditions than others. Copper tape can continue working when installed properly, while pellets and dusts may lose effectiveness after heavy rain or watering. Apply and reapply only as directed on the label, and if you are using pellets, aim for drier conditions where possible.

Start with garden hygiene: remove damp debris and hiding places, water earlier in the day where possible, and hand-pick at dusk. Barrier methods such as copper tape can help protect pots and raised beds. Diatomaceous earth may help when kept dry and applied as directed. Encouraging wildlife can also help, but results vary by garden.

Two different symptoms. If damage appears overnight on plants right next to a barrier, check the barrier is continuous and that no leaf is bridging it - a single stem touching a wall or another pot gives a route straight over the top. If damage is spread across the bed, the slugs are already in the soil rather than travelling in; barriers will not help there, so target the damp harbourage under pots, slabs and debris instead and treat at dusk when they are active.