Why Slughelp Was Made

How and why this site came into being.

The beginnings

My name is Alex, and I grew up on a small farm. There were cows, pigs, chickens, and sheep — as well as cats, a dog, and two large vegetable gardens, one belonging to my mother and one to my grandmother.

Even as a small child, my brother and I were each given a small patch in my mother’s garden where we grew herbs, potatoes, and strawberries.

Looking back, I believe the seeds were planted there that now bear fruit in this project.
SlugHelp grows out of love for nature and out of respect for life. The desire to live in harmony with nature has long been deeply rooted in me, and this site is an expression of that aspiration.

When balance is disturbed

A slug infestation does not arise without cause. It develops where the delicate balances in nature have been disturbed.

For this reason, I seek to show ways that lead back toward harmony — toward a garden that has evolved over thousands of years.

The use of poison against slugs has long felt wrong to me for many reasons. I have yet to meet anyone for whom slug pellets provided a truly sustainable solution.

Do you know anyone who used slug pellets once and never needed them again? My experience has been the opposite. Once used, they tend to be used again and again.

They are like a painkiller for the garden — relieving symptoms without addressing the underlying causes.

A turning point

I became deeply aware of this in the spring of 2015, while working in an organic garden in France called “Happy Farm.”

Yet we were often anything but happy. Our young plants were threatened by large numbers of brown slugs. Eventually, my employers saw no other option but to spread iron phosphate pellets across the beds.

And still, the problem did not disappear. On the contrary: during hand collection, we often counted well over a thousand slugs. At times, it almost seemed as if the pellets were drawing slugs in from the surrounding area.

One day, I sat in the garden and suddenly felt physically sick. My employer and I watched a slug slowly approach a pellet. Half jokingly, he said, “Oh no, don’t do that!” — and we both laughed.

In that moment, something broke inside me.

We were not just anywhere. We were working in the monastery garden of Plum Village. And what we were doing stood in clear contradiction to the principle of non-violence and reverence for life that was practiced there.

Perhaps that is why I felt sick.
And perhaps also because I remembered a question I had asked myself as a teenager: How would I have behaved during the time of National Socialism? Would I have resisted? Looked away? Or simply gone along with what everyone else was doing?

That day I realised how easily one can become desensitised.

I had laughed. And I was participating in what felt to me like a mass killing of extremely peaceful beings.

Not out of cruelty — but out of habit.

Support the Happy Farm on Patreon

About iron phosphate

Slugs that ingest iron phosphate do not die immediately. They die slowly after consuming the substance.

To my understanding at the time, they stop feeding and may starve over several days.

As far as I know, there is still no independent study that clearly documents the precise suffering involved. It is also suggested that some slugs may retreat temporarily and later reappear weakened — or possibly even hungrier.

What I know is this: I could no longer participate in the process with a clear conscience.

For me, it felt like a form of torture.

Seeking alternatives

At first, I tried to convince others to explore alternatives. I was not particularly skilful in doing so and met resistance. In the end, I left the Happy Farm.

But the idea had taken root: to create a guide for those who also feel that poison is not the answer.

I began researching effective alternatives — and found many.

There are sustainable methods available: physical barriers, protective systems, habitat balance and the encouragement of natural predators. These approaches can be combined to restore long-term stability in the garden.

Hope

Contrary to popular belief, the so-called “Spanish slug” is not a foreign invader without natural enemies. Genetic research suggests it is native to Central Europe. And of course, it has predators — otherwise we would scarcely be able to step outside without encountering them everywhere.

Do not lose hope.

It is possible to encourage natural balance again.

A note on funding

SlugHelp is primarily financed through affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission — at no extra cost to you.

This allows the site to remain independent and freely accessible.

Please buy only what you truly need.

I hope this site supports you in finding sustainable ways to protect your garden.

With peaceful regards,
Alexander

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Alexander Boeckmann

My goal is to garden in harmony with nature. This includes treating pests as gently as possible, encouraging beneficial creatures, and protecting biodiversity in every part of the garden – a small but meaningful step toward stopping species loss and creating a peaceful, balanced garden.

Latest posts by Alexander Boeckmann (see all)

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