Alternatives to Using Pesticides on Garden Plants

Handpicking

Grabbing pests off garden plants instead of spraying with pesticides is one alternative. Slugs are one type of garden pest that can be picked at night using gloves and deposited in an area away from your garden, or disposed of in the trash.

Bait and Traps

Iron phosphate can be used as bait for slugs instead of commercial slug bait. It is not toxic to humans, pets, nor other animals. It's an abundant mineral and a nutritional supplement for plants.

Buy commercial traps which catch garden pests without the use of poisons. These can also be used for slugs and other insects. Some are available commercially, and some are homemade. A can with a hole cut one third up into it can be placed in the ground with a lid filled with beer and yeast. Slugs will be attracted by the odor and drown in the liquid. The slugs can then be disposed of in your trash.

Barriers

Make barriers from copper strips, about two to three inches wide, from copper sheeting and use them around raised garden beds. The copper reacts with the slug's mucous by causing an electric shock, and repelling them.

Collars made from tar paper, stiff paper or heavy plastic can be placed around the plant's stem and pressed into the soil about an inch deep. Tie or hold in place with a paper clip. This prevents burrowing insects from getting into the soil surrounding your plants.

Fine cheese cloth nets can be placed over garden beds, protecting seedlings from being eaten by chewing insects. It will also protect seedlings from birds and cats, and not allow insects to lay their eggs on them.

Slug and Bug Eaters

Keep domestic ducks, chickens or geese, if you have a big garden, to help reduce the slug population. Slugs eat your plants, but some animals, including nocturnal ones, can feed on them.

Not all insects in your garden are harmful. Allowing ladybugs, dragonflies, praying mantises, green lacewings, and bees will help reduce the harmful insect population. Some commercial plant and seed companies sell beneficial bugs.

Low Toxicity Pesticides

Use formulated commercial pesticides only if you must use pesticides. They are biodegradable, do not linger in the environment, and have low toxicity to many animals.