Following another mild winter, dry spring we have received some moist conditions following the rain of last weekend has brought some activity from slugs and snails.

Pests that we can guarantee to come back year after year are slugs and snails. I have noticed increasing numbers of slugs and snails in the garden over the last few years and the warm conditions followed by moisture is likely to keep populations high.

The potato is a crop that can be particularly susceptible therefore it may be necessary to actually control rather than form a barrier or try to deter around susceptible plants or crops.

Many other vegetables can be damaged and also some prize plants around the garden can also be susceptible. There are a number of products available to control slugs such as the traditional pellets however important to be careful with these if you have pets or young children around the garden.

Nematode products are available from the garden centre and these are sprayed on with a watering can in to the soil, this type of product is probably best applied in the spring and is temperature dependant, will have a positive effect on slugs but will not control snails.

There are some other ways to control slugs and snails from the garden and some of them have some are quite interesting in gardening circles such as the ‘slug pub’, this involves placing containers such small plastic pots such as plastic cups or empty yoghurt containers with a little drop of beer in the bottom, this type of control remains effective for two to three nights before requiring to top up.

If you do find your slug is not a beer drinker then apparently slugs like milk therefore this could provide a non-alcoholic alternative as well as melon and grapefruit skin. If you are looking of ways to deter slugs and snails rather than control them then there are products available in the form of natural wool pellets that are designed to irritate the slugs and snails enough to deter them to go an feed in areas not covered in the pellets, the pellets naturally breakdown and contain a small amount of nutrients once this process takes place to the soil.

Slugs and snails do not like crossing barriers therefore items such as crushed egg shell or gravel deter them from crossing over this type of pathway, washed grit or gravel can have the same effect in deterring slugs and snails. There is also a small physical copper barrier that can be sought that can be pegged down around susceptible plants, the copper gives off a small enough electric charge that deters the slugs or snails from crossing however this will require to be kept clean. Slugs do not move around in the same way in hot dry weather therefore a return to warm dry weather would certainly be welcomed by all of us.

Paul Brannan