I’m a gardening pro – a 50p Wilko buy will keep slugs away from your plants for good, or try my free ‘bucket’ trick
A GARDENING expert has shared his top tips for getting rid of slugs.
Contrary to popular opinion, the pro revealed that most slugs are actually harmless, and are “doing a lot of good in your garden”.
Speaking as a guest on Blue Peter presenter Lee Connelly’s podcast, Skinny Jean Gardener, Mark said: “They break down and eat organic matter, and some of them even attack other slugs that may be causing harm in your garden.”
Mark revealed that, because of this, you shouldn’t just try to kill all of the slugs you see.
He recommends a weekly check of your plants, to remove any slugs, put them in a bucket and then “chuck them in a hedgerow”.
By doing this, you are getting rid of the slugs which are causing a problem, without harming any potentially beneficial slugs.
“I just always assumed that all slugs were bad!” Lee said, exasperated.
Mark revealed that slugs prefer wet weather, so that this is the perfect time to go out at night with a head torch and “ambush them”.
If you do want to control the slug population in your garden, the gardening whizz said that iron or ferric phosphate slug pellets are “reasonably pretty good”.
You can pick these kinds of slug pellets up from Amazon for less than a fiver.
Mark explained that traditional slug pellets contain metaldahyde – which can end up killing birds, if they eat slugs that have been killed by the pellets.
“Iron and ferric phosphate pellets are pretty safe, so if you have to use slug pellets, look out for those”, he said.
Another simple tip you can use to rid your garden of slugs is to fill it with plants that the invertebrates don’t like.
He said: “I don’t grow hostas, I grow things that are resistant to slugs”.
Some examples of slug resistant plants are geraniums and hellebores.
Lee then suggested that you could buy some “sacrificial hostas” for the slugs to eat, as they are well known to absolutely love these plants.
June gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you should take this month.
Stake out leggy perennials
With all the dramatic weather we’ve been having, it’s definitely time to stake out your leggy perennials (the ones that come back every year). Heavy rain and growth spurts, can make them collapse and flop.
Picking out the slugs and snails
Hopefully as we move into summer they will do less damage as the plants get bigger. The best way is still to go out at night with a head torch to find them.
Pick elderflower heads
You can use them to make your own cordial, or add to cakes, champagne or even fry them in batter.
Get on top of weeds
It’s around now that weeds really ramp up in the garden, so keep on top of them with hoe-ing – or just the traditional ‘on your knees with a hand fork’. Try and avoid chemicals – remember weeds are just plants in the wrong place.
Up the mowing
You’ll need to mow your lawn weekly now – if you’ve got time, weed it beforehand as once you mow you chop off the leaves and its harder to see them.
Check on your tomatoes
Your tomato plants will need attention – water, feed and regularly and pinch out the sideshoots.
Chelsea Chop
There’s still time for the Chelsea Chop – plants like Rudbeckia’s, Asters, Penstemons, Sedums and other perennials can be cut back by a third to help them get a bit more bushy, and prolong the flowering period.
Sort out your tulips
If you can be bothered and have space – lift and story your tulip bulbs to ensure colour next Spring.
Deadheading your roses
Take them down to the first set of healthy leaves – which will ensure more flowers for longer.
Enjoy your space
Take some time to sit and enjoy your garden or outside space – it’s great for your mental health. Even just a few minutes a day can make a big difference.
Mark responded: “That is actually used in the industry, it’s called a push-me, pull-me strategy.
“You plant plants around the plants that you don’t want to be attacked.
“For example, if you put marigolds underneath your tomatoes then the leaf miners will go to the marigold first and they won’t trouble your tomatoes.”
You can buy marigold seeds from Wilko for just 50p.
Another of the gardeners tips is to set up beer traps.
To do this, put some glasses into the ground and fill them up with cheap beer.
The smell then attracts the slugs and they fall in to the beer and drown.
“There’s worse ways to die I suppose”, Lee joked.
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