Cannabis Pests: How to Get Rid of Slugs and Snails?
How to recognize slug or snail infestation in cannabis plants?
Slugs and snails are the first pests that may appear during the growing season. They emerge in spring, which coincides with cannabis plant growth. These pests are usually most active at night, although they can be seen during the day. Nevertheless, it's very easy to determine if your plants are being attacked by these creatures at night. To catch them, look for these signals:
- chewed leaves: large and torn holes in leaves,
- silver slime marks on chewed leaves and on the ground,
- slug eggs placed on moist soil or in compost.
Prevention against slugs and snails
As with other pests that can attack cannabis plants, prevention is best. With these tips, you can easily prevent the spread of slugs and snails in your cannabis garden:
Do not water at night
Slugs and snails are nocturnal creatures that seek moist environments. Do not water plants at night. Instead, water them in the morning.
Try companion planting
Companion planting is not only ecological but also helps create a strong ecosystem that is beneficial to the environment. Companion planting utilizes natural terpenes that prevent pest occurrence. Plants like lavender, basil, chamomile, coriander, and dill produce very distinct terpenes that naturally repel many cannabis pests.
Build barriers
Another simple but effective way to prevent slugs and snails when growing cannabis is by creating physical barriers. Create a dry space around the plants and sprinkle lime, diatomaceous earth, or salty sand around the plants. Any type of dry, gravelly mixture helps keep slugs and snails away from the cannabis garden, as dryness repels these creatures. You can also use coffee. Sprinkle coffee grounds on the plants or pots. This repels slugs and snails.
How to get rid of slugs and snails?
If these mollusks are already feasting on your cannabis plants, act quickly and effectively to stop them. There are several ways to deal with them:
Remove them manually
This method is undoubtedly the simplest way to handle these pests. Many growers protect their plants by collecting and relocating them. They need to be caught at night when they emerge from their hiding spots to find food. Preventively, you can also target slugs and snails during the day by lifting flower pots, bricks, and similar covered places where they might hide.
Attract predators
Attracting predators is probably the best option because the garden will transform into a functional ecosystem while protecting cannabis plants.
Common predators of slugs and snails include:
- beetles,
- toads,
- frogs,
- mice,
- hedgehogs,
- squirrels,
- birds.
If you want to attract frogs, you need to create a moist environment. Small wetlands, including ponds, can attract them. If you have dense and varied height grass, it is attractive for hedgehogs, who love to feed on slugs and snails.
Set traps
If you don't have enough time or energy to manually hunt these mollusks, you can attract and then catch them in a trap. A traditional lure against slugs and snails is a beer trap. Dig a hole in the ground and place a container with beer in it; slugs and snails won't be able to resist this scent, they'll fall in and drown instantly.
Find more tips about cannabis pest problems in articles in the cultivation section of our blog. Read about the most common cannabis pests.