Stop slugs from destroying plants with two cheap but effective kitchen staples
Slugs and snails are more likely to be in gardens now during the rainy weather, but luckily there is a very easy gardening method to deter them without using harmful chemicals.
Gardens look incredible in the summer as many flowers are going through their blooming season, but it also means slugs are more likely to be munching on plants.
Slugs and snails will likely appear now as they thrive in warm and wet weather, and can destroy gardens by feeding on stems which will kill most flowers.
Nancy Birtwhistle, a household expert best known for winning the Great British Bakeoff has shared in her bestselling book ‘Clean and Green’ that there is a very effective way to keep slugs away without using harmful chemicals.
She said: “There are many slug pellets on the market which will attract gastropods - they will eat them and then they die.
“Unfortunately, birds frogs, toads and hedgehogs then go on to eat these poisoned pests and will perish too. Much more eco-friendly to deter the slimy characters, and this can be done effectively at minimum cost.”
How to prevent slugs from destroying a garden
All you need to do is save up your eggshells, crush them, and sprinkle them around your plants as the sharp edges will be uncomfortable or potentially harmful for slugs to crawl over.
Nancy said: “Whenever you use an egg, get into the habit of rinsing the eggshell under the tap, removing the slimy membrane then leaving it to dry and placing it in a bowl.
“Once a collection of six or seven shells has been accumulated, simply crush them with your hands to a fine crumb.”
You can also stir half a teaspoon of table salt into a container with the crushed eggshells to make an even more effective slug deterrent as slugs will stay away from salt because it is highly harmful to them.
Then sprinkle the eggshell and salt powder along your plants and make a border, but make sure not to get too close if you add salt to the mixture.
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Nancy said: “Plants can tolerate an amount of salt, but too much can be poisonous.
“Slugs and snails will stay well clear, their slimy composition finds it impossible to navigate a crazy-paving path of dry eggshells and the coating of salt will create an immediate sting and they will slide away as the salt can be fatal.”
Both salt and dry eggshells can also absorb moisture, which slugs need to breathe and make their bodies move.
If slugs feel their body dehydrating they will immediately crawl away as it will cause them to shrivel up and die.
Make sure to apply this eggshell and salt immediately after an extremely rainy spell as slugs are more likely to be about during a downpour and the mixture can wash away in a heavy rain.
