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I learned to garden in England, which is pretty much a nature preserve for every damp-loving, foliage-devouring pest known to mankind, in particular slugs and snails. I needed a non-toxic solution to my slug and snail problem: I had two small dogs that loved my garden as much as I did. I was also becoming more aware of the effect of pesticides and herbicides on the quality of our food as well as the environment.

So I tried all the traditional controls:

First, egg shells. As a single person with a good sized garden, even when I grouped the most desirable plants together, I couldn't eat enough eggs to produce the quantity of shell I needed. And where I did use shells, the slugs seemed to plow their way through to the foliage.

Second, beer. I used a cheap beer, but unless the slugs like the expensive stuff (like I did) this worked for only about 1 percent of the slugs. It did, however, work very well on my elderly cock-a-poo, who was delighted at the appearance of one her favorite beverages around the garden.

Third, salt. My garden was surrounded by an overgrown alley and several very "natural" gardens, and I had a pond and out-of-control ivy. If salt was to be the ultimate solution, I would need TONNES - not exactly organic.

Fourth, "critters". I tried to make my garden as slug-predator friendly as possible. I fed the birds, kept a rather swampy pond for the frogs and toads and created hiding places for hedgehogs. Unless all my "allies" were all on a diet, the numbers of slugs and snails did not diminish.

Fifth, obsessive 5 year old boy. Yes, a young boy with a mission - to impress the new neighbor-lady - was the best non-toxic slug control I found. My friend and neighbor's little boy, Louie, not only loved my little dogs (his usual excuse for a visit) he became as obsessed with hunting slugs and snails as I was, and between us, we murdered thousands.

Louie and I, armed with a bucket of saltwater and wearing "Marigolds" (rubber gloves), would meet in the garden after a rain shower and de-slug. For nighttime hunting, we donned the headlamps favored by spelunkers and hikers, so we could have both hands free for holding the saltwater buckets and "hunting".

And yes, this worked - the slug population started to diminish, although they still managed to find some of my tenderest plant. However, for my money, the best non-toxic slug control is a determined 5 year old - bless you Louie!

Learn more about this author, Pat Gray.
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