Leave Harsh Chemicals Behind: There's An Organic Amazon Find That Kills Slugs And Snails

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Even though slugs may not be a poisonous pest, they can still create other problems in your garden. The damage they do to plants can be so bad you feel desperate enough to use dangerous chemicals to kill them off. However, before you jump straight into the deep end, why not use an organic alternative, like Monterey Sluggo Snail and Slug Killer? Sold on Amazon, this product includes one percent iron (or ferric) phosphate, which is the active ingredient that kills slugs infiltrating your garden. It's also OMRI certified for organic farming, with active ingredients that are found naturally in the soil. It won't harm your plants, either. The product comes in granules that you can spread out around your garden to keep slugs and snails away entirely, or simply protect specific beds. 

These pellets work a little differently than other products you may have tried. It isn't a repellent, but it doesn't kill or paralyze pests immediately either. Instead, many slugs and snails that interact with Sluggo end up going somewhere else to die, which happens within a few days. This means you won't find a slew of dead or paralyzed slugs around the barrier. At first, this can make it seem like it's not actually effective. However, it is still a quick treatment that will stop slugs from eating your plants and cause them to go into hiding immediately after ingesting Sluggo, so you don't have to worry about them continuing to wreak havoc on your garden in the meantime.

On Amazon, this product has a 4.4-star rating, but only a small number of reviews. While customer responses are still pouring in on Amazon, searching around the internet reveals that it's well-loved overall. On Walmart, it earned a 4.7 stars with nearly 200 ratings. A five-star reviewer wrote on Walmart's website, "I never bought this type of thing because I doubted that it worked. I became desperate. Snails completely [ate] some beautiful plants down to the dirt. They'll grow back, but I was done. I bought this product and haven't seen a live snail since the first day. I am beyond thrilled." This is far from the only review to mention that it works — and quickly. 

Overall, there aren't many negatives brought up. A few people complain about the cost; a 10-pound jug of Sluggo is listed for $65.59, and it seems that some stores charge more than others. Additionally, there is a bit of a problem that other wildlife seem to enjoy the pellets too. A reviewer on Home Depot who gave the product one star said, "Hard to tell if this works very well. It seems to be attracting the chipmunks and bluejays like it is food (who then proceed to eat it all)." This means some people find they have to reapply the granules quite often to keep it at maximum effectiveness, but they find it a worthwhile tradeoff for peace of mind. 

Sluggo's iron phosphate formula is a safer alternative to metaldehyde, which is another common slug control ingredient. According to Amador Valley Veterinary Center, animals ingesting metaldehyde could suffer from muscle tremors and even convulsions, which might ultimately be fatal to dogs. For these reasons, although it's effective, metaldehyde-based slug and snail killer is not one of the best tips for keeping slugs out of your garden, especially if you are a pet owner.

While Sluggo is safer for your pets, it could still make them sick. If your dog gets ahold of the granules, you may notice signs of gastrointestinal problems, including vomiting. Dehydration, fatigue, and seizures are also a possibility. Because of these dangers, you'll still want to keep this treatment away from your pets as much as possible. Try to store the container somewhere they can't access it, such as a shed or on a high shelf in the garage. Also, make sure the container is fully closed and sealed after every use. When using Sluggo on the ground, keep pets away from the treated areas just to be safe. If you are worried about the dangers, there are plenty of other organic methods to help you say goodbye to slugs in your yard, though they may not be as effective.