Monty Don warns against common gardening mistake that will create breeding ground for slugs and snails
MONTY Don has warned gardening fans that a common mistake could create an inviting environment for slugs and snails.
The Gardener’s World star revealed that although many people see them as “pests” slugs are actually “invaluable” to a healthy garden.
Speaking to BBC Gardener’s World Magazine, he said: “I know slugs and snails are seen by many gardeners as destructive pests without any redeeming features, but in fact they are an invaluable part of the recycling system that keeps a garden healthy.
“They eat decomposing material and return it, digested, to the soil, increasing the organic content and making it more accessible for further digestion by bacteria.
“So we need them.”
However, for those keen to rid their gardens of the invertebrates, Monty warned that overfeeding plants could be the cause of your problems.
The horticulturalist explained that slugs and snails are more likely to attack weak plants and “rotting” plants, rather than young and healthy ones.
Therefore, he suggested not overfeeding or “mollycoddling” the plants, to make them as hardy as possible.
Monty said that plant food should be seen as a supplement rather than a mainstay of a plant’s diet.
He said that overfeeding plants leads to a “spurt of soft, sappy growth that slugs love”.
“Your plants need to be tough and able to withstand hardship, but not ill and run down”, he added.
You can also damage plants, and make them more attractive to slugs by over or underwatering them, and by damaging them when transporting them.
Another of Monty’s tips for a slug free garden, is to encourage a healthy ecosystem in your garden.
He revealed that in his own garden, he has done this by attracting creatures that eat snails and slugs such as frogs, toads and centipedes.
If you do want these animals to inhabit your garden , make sure to avoid using toxic chemicals such as slug pellets, as this could kill them.
However, Monty warned that the introduction of these creatures may lead to “collateral damage”.
July gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to tackle this July in your garden.
1. Prune Wisteria
You should only prune back Wisteria twice a year – and July – or mid summer – is one of those times. After flowering cut back long side shoots to around seven buds.five or six leaves.
2. Pinch out tomatoes
Your tomatoes should be really picking up – so pinch out all the side shoots without flowers – and remove all the leaves that are shading the tomatoes – this will give them maximum light and energy.
3. Keep weeding
Hand weeding and hoeing the surface of the soil will keep your weeds under check.
4. Feed Dahlias
To keep Dahlias flowering until Autumn, you must keep feeding them weekly with a liquid fertliser high in potassium – which encourages blooms.
5. Keep deadheading plants
Keep up with deadheading your bedding plants and perennials – so they keep coming back for the season. With roses make sure you’re deadheading back to a set of five leaves, giving you the best chance of them flowering again.
6. Check on your pond
If you’re lucky enough to have a pond – make sure it’s clear of algae, which can really bloom when the sun beats down.
7. Feed your lawn
Whether that’s with a liquid feed or granules. If you’ve chosen granules try to get them down before the rain comes, so they soak into the soil.
8. Tend to strawberry plants
Cut the leaves off strawberry plants after you’ve picked them – leaving the crown untouched – which should help with next years fruit.
9. Sow extra seeds
July weather is a great time to sow seeds as the warm soil and sunshine is great for germination. Try carrots, winter broccoli and other brassicas.
10. Move young plants into soil
Get any young plants you’ve got left in the greenhouse – like courgettes – into the soil.
The gardening professional’s final tip, is to create a specific area in your garden to look at every day, to make sure that it is “slug free”.
Use this area for your young plants, and those which are less robust, and need extra supervision.
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.