As the autumn season brings damp weather and a proliferation of foliage, slugs become an increasing nuisance in gardens across Britain.
It is during this time that these molluscs seek out dark, moist spaces like under plant pots and decaying leaves to hide, especially after their breeding season.
While the common response to slug intrusions may be chemical pellets, gardeners are strongly advised against this approach due to the potential risk to domestic animals and wildlife, including birds and hedgehogs which naturally keep slug populations in check.
In a more eco-friendly discovery, Jane, the founder of Snap Dragon Life and an avid gardener, stumbled upon an organic method of repelling slugs by planting particular flora, the Express reports.
She recounted: “I planted out my rows of carefully nurtured seedlings – cornflowers, marigolds, poppies, cosmos, nigella, snapdragons. Within two days the slugs had eaten everything but the snapdragons. Slugs don’t like snapdragons.”
How do snapdragons keep slugs away?
The surprising efficacy of snapdragons is down to their naturally occurring chemicals that prove toxic to the pests but cause no harm to humans.
Snapdragons also possess a leathery texture and retain less moisture than other plants, convincing slugs that there won’t be ample sources of food, leading them to vacate the area.
Snapdragons are best planted near plants that are typically targeted by slugs, such as lettuces and cabbages, but they should also be positioned along garden paths and fences.
What else stops slugs from eating plants?
Another technique to keep pesky slugs at bay is the beer trap.
If you’re currently struggling with a slug problem, an effective way to prevent them from nibbling on your plants is to set up a trap which will attract the pests but will also swiftly eliminate them.
Jane explained: “Slugs love beer, any beer, even the terrible beer that people bring to parties, even failed home-brew. Save small jars or pots (single yoghurt pots work fine) and bury them up to their necks between where the slugs are likely to be living and your plants.”
By filling these containers with beer, the slugs will be more attracted to this than to your plants. The slugs will also find it challenging to crawl out of the container and will drown, making this a simple yet highly effective slug control method.
Alternative way to keep slugs away
Another technique is the cereal trap, as if you don’t have beer at home, you can use cereal instead.
When exposed to outdoor conditions, the cereal will start to ferment slightly, which will greatly attract slugs.
Jane added: “The only thing better than beer in the mind of a slug is cereal. They can’t resist it. Rather than using piles of bran which can get messy, I use cheap own-brand Weetabix-type cereal and again place it between the slugs and the crops.”
Jane shared her unique method for dealing with garden slugs, saying: “This is the way that I dealt with slugs in my first garden – logging the numbers in a weird serial killer-y garden notebook. I stopped counting when I got past 4,000.
“It is less messy if you combine it with the Weetabix technique. Simply leave the Weetabix for three days and then go out at night and collect up all the Weetabix that should by now be covered with feasting slugs.”
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