Pests & plant health
Protect seedlings from slugs and snails
Inspect after dusk or in damp conditions to confirm the animal causing damage.
When to do it
When fresh feeding damage suggests slugs or snails, especially around vulnerable seedlings.
What you need
- Torch
- Gloves or tongs
- A protected raising area
How to do it
- Inspect after dusk or in damp conditions to confirm the animal causing damage. Other pests can also chew leaves.
- Hand-collect confirmed pest slugs or snails using gloves. Follow local disposal advice; do not release them into bushland or another garden.
- Reduce hiding places immediately beside seedlings, such as abandoned pots or boards, without clearing all garden habitat.
- Raise seedlings until sturdier where the crop permits and use a protected position. Keep checking; many improvised barriers are unreliable after wetting.
- If considering bait, choose a currently registered product labelled for the situation and follow placement and safety directions exactly. Keep all baits away from children and animals as instructed.
What success looks like
- New seedlings remain intact and fresh damage decreases.
Watch out for
- Pouring salt onto soil.
- Assuming any pellet is harmless to pets or wildlife.
Related help
Decide whether to use a pest product and read its label
Check whether damage warrants treatment.
Inspect a struggling plant before treating it
Identify the plant and photograph the whole plant, affected parts and nearby healthy plants.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.