Five non-harmful methods for keeping slugs and snails away from your flowers
SLUGS and snails chomping through flowers and plants gets many a gardener riled.
But rather than buying toxic pellets, try these non-harmful methods for keeping them away from your prized blooms . . .
BRAMBLE STEMS: Slugs and snails find it tricky to pass by prickly branches such as rose stems.
Cut a big bunch of brambles from woodland or the roadside.
Then cut the branches to make an impassable square or ring around the plants you want to protect.
GARLIC SPRAY: This homemade remedy will do the trick and costs just pennies to make.
First, crush two bulbs of garlic and add to two pints of water, then boil for ten minutes.
Let the mixture cool then strain off the liquid.
Mix one tablespoon of this concentrate to four litres of water.
Spray plants once a week — and early evening is best or after there has been lots of rain.
WOOL: The texture and fibres in wool help to deter slugs and snails from crossing it.
If you have woollen clothing you no longer want, such as a scarf, try wrapping it around plant pots to stop pests from slithering up.
If you are able to get your hands on sheep’s wool, you can put it on top of soil around plants.
COFFEE GROUNDS: If you drink fresh coffee, save the grounds and sprinkle around plants you want to protect.
Not only will they help ward off slimy minibeasts, the grounds will also help to nourish the soil.
If you don’t drink coffee, try asking at your local coffee shop.
Many are more than happy to give away their waste free of charge.
OLD TIGHTS: If you have plants in pots, try lining the bottoms with cuttings from old tights to stop slugs and other pests burrowing up through drainage holes.
This also helps to stop ants nesting in planters.
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