Slugs and snails are the last things gardeners want destroying all their hard work.
While these soft-bodied pests tend to hide away during the day, they are easy to spot at night when they emerge in search of food and head straight for your garden plants.
To ensure gardens remain slug and snail-free, TV gardener David Domoney appeared on ITV’s This Morning to share his top deterrents.
David argued that while slugs and snails “do benefit the garden”, they also cause destruction.
The expert explained that it’s the moisture that draws these pests into gardens in the first place, therefore David urged: “No watering last thing at night. Make sure to water late in the afternoon so that the sun can dry the goring first.”
Gardeners may not be aware but the trails the slugs and snails leave behind are “communicating and helping them navigate their way back”.
To stop their trails leading them back to your garden, David recommends gardeners use some vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle that “will clear them out”.
Vinegar spray is widely used as a natural pest repellent both indoors and in the garden, so it comes as no surprise that it can be used to deter slugs too.
It is important to note that the acidity of vinegar is toxic to vegetation so it should only be used on slugs that haven’t yet reached your plants.
Vinegar is a staple for many households but is also very inexpensive. White vinegar retails for 35p at Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
David also noted that traps can also be “pretty good”. Gardeners can buy specific slug traps or just use a plastic container.
To use this method, simply put them into the ground with some beer poured in and the slugs and snails will fall in them so you can safely set them free after.
Barriers can also be used to deter slugs, ask what David likes to use are crushed eggshells because “slugs don’t like crawling over it due to it’s sharp texture”.
Alternatively, plants that have fragrant leaves are something slugs “don’t like”. These plants include chives, onions, lavender and rosemary.
