Slug alert!

 

There’s a duo of garden enemies we all need to be on the lookout for now. With the milder and damper weather we’re getting, slug and snail populations are increasing.

To help keep them at bay here are a few handy hints:

• Slugs and snails dislike plants that are hairy, waxy or glossy such as geraniums and fuchsias 
• To repel slugs, plant mint, chives, garlic, geraniums, foxgloves or fennel around the edge of the garden
• Put petroleum jelly around the base and tops of plant pots, this makes it impossible for slugs and snails to reach the plant
• Keep your garden tidy, slugs and snails are particularly fond of decaying matter, so get rid of it
• Attract wildlife that eats slugs and snails to your garden. Encourage birds by supplying a bird table stocked with food. 
• Newts and toads also eat slugs and snails and can be attracted by ponds or boggy areas
• Egg shells, grit, hair, sawdust and sand all work as barriers to slugs and snails so place them around your plants

Alternatively, check out our section for some products to repel the critters before they make holes in all your lovely plants.