Gardening and greenhouse expert, Lucie Bradley at Two Wests & Elliott, explained why there might be more slugs in the garden at this time of year.

The expert said: “Slugs are not only the bane of gardeners’ lives after they munch the new growth of precious plants, demolish seedlings overnight and munch irregularly-shaped holes in leaves, the slimy creatures also evoke a sense of unease and phobia in the hearts of everyday individuals.

“Snails and slugs are most active at night and on cloudy or foggy days. On sunny days, they seek hiding places from the heat and bright light.

“Often the only clues to their presence are their silvery trails and plant damage. During cold weather, snails and slugs hibernate in the topsoil.”

Common reasons these pests may appear in the winter garden include overwatering and decaying organic matter.

Excessive water in the garden creates a damp environment, attracting slugs so ensure you water the garden appropriately.

If there has been lots of rainfall, slugs may also enter the garden and this is hard to avoid.

The expert added: “Slugs are scavengers and feed on decaying plant matter, if there is decaying organic material in your garden, such as fallen leaves or compost, it can attract them.”

Luckily, there are many ways to reduce the population of pests in the garden, or even altogether.

Firstly, it can be easy to let the garden get messy in the winter months when no one is spending any time outside.

However, it is important to clear away debris, mulch and other hiding spots where they might take shelter during the day.

The gardening expert continued: “Encourage natural predators of slugs, such as birds and beetles, by providing bird feeders or planting flowers that attract beneficial insects.

“Also create physical barriers around susceptible plants using materials like copper tape, diatomaceous earth or eggshells, as slugs are less likely to cross these.”

Egg shells work great because they are still effective even if it rains, making the environment hard for slugs to cross.

Beer traps work well too so try setting up traps by burying containers filled with beer into the soil. The pests are attracted to the yeast in the beer and will fall into the traps.

Lucie added: “If the slug population is manageable, manually pick them off plants, especially during the evening when they are most active.

“It’s important to address the underlying factors contributing to the slug’s presence to effectively control their population in your garden.”

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Post source: Express