The pretty £1 supermarket plant that gets rid of slugs from your garden – and Alan Titchmarsh is a fan
THERE are 40 species of slugs in the UK, and they are arguably the most troublesome visitor in a garden.
The slimy creature loves to chomp on the leaves of many plants and extensive feeding can result in a weak or dying plant.
Here’s how to get rid of slugs – and the £1 plant you can grab from your local supermarket to stop them.
Plants
A gentle method for getting rid of slugs is to use plants which deter them and act as a natural pesticide.
This way, you can keep keep slugs at bay without using harsh chemicals.
The pretty flower of Astrantia gives off a scent that repels slugs – it’s easy to grow, and flowers in the summer adding colour and interest to borders.
Other plants which deter slugs include wormwood, rue, fennel, anise and rosemary.
Rosemary can easily be purchased from a supermarket for as little as £1 and requires little care.
It is an evergreen shrub with aromatic leaves, and produces small white, blue or pink flowers.
It likes a warm, sunny location with light, free-draining soil, and is also happy in a pot or container.
This method is organic and natural – something gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh champions.
Tidy up
Slugs love to seek cover under bricks, garden furniture and large logs.
By removing potential slug shelters, you will expose them to natural predators, and your slug problem with naturally decline.
Make a beer trap
One easy and inexpensive way to get rid of slugs is a beer trap. Create one by burying half a container near vulnerable plants and half filling it with beer.
Alternatively, look out for purpose-made beer traps.
The scent of the beer will lure slugs, which then fall in and get stuck.
Keep the rim of the container 2-3cm above the ground to avoid catching slug-eating ground beetles.
Create a barrier
Slugs are soft-bodied molluscs so sharp, prickly barriers are a great way to deter them from precious plants.
Use crushed egg shells, pine needles or thorny cuttings to create barriers and recycle unwanted leftovers and foliage.
Did you know? In 2022, the RHS decided to no long class slugs as pests because they help recycle dead leaves?
Another great material to use is sharp sand.
Aternatively, make a slippery barrier by spraying WD40 on the outside of plant pots so they can’t climb up the sides.
Sprinkle salt
Sprinkling salt on slugs kills them, but it can also kill your plants.
Therefore, only use when slugs are away from plants.
It comes after one gardening guru believes placing rough, old towels around the base of a plant deters slugs.
If unwelcome cats are an issue, why not consider buying a ‘Scaredy Cat’ plant? It is just one of many methods said to stop cats pooing in your garden.
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Alan Titchmarsh's view on slugs
Alan Titchmarsh has been an organic gardener for 40 years but draws the line at welcoming slugs into his garden.
In a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph, Alan admitted to creeping into his garden by torchlight, picking all the slugs off his plants and hurling them over the country hedge.
Luckily, he doesn’t have any neighbours.
Referring to the RHS’ suggestion that gardeners should “make friends with molluscs“, Alan remarked: “I’ve had a little bit of beef with being told slugs are my friends.
“It’s like saying to people that bed bugs and ticks are your friends. Don’t be ridiculous!”