Neem oil for aphids. Beer for slugs.

Yes, they work — if you do it right.

Neem oil will knock down aphids better than soap spray. Spray in the evening so the oil doesn’t cook the leaves in the sun and avoid hitting bees. Reapply after rain. It’s not instant, but it works.

For slugs, a shallow dish of cheap beer sunk into the soil catches them overnight. Replace every few days. Diatomaceous earth sprinkled around plants also works, but it’s useless once wet. I’d rather toss a beer trap than mess with copper tape or eggshells — those are more placebo than pest control.

Both methods are cheap, effective, and won’t torch the rest of your garden.

You’ll still lose a few leaves, but you won’t have to declare chemical war.