Green-fingered gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has shared his top hack for stopping slugs and snails attacking your plants – and it’s simple but very effective
Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has shared his hack for stopping slugs and snails attacking plants – and fans are eager to give it a go.
With spring finally here, green-fingered folks are turning their attention to their outdoor spaces and getting the garden ready for the warmer months. But given the frequent rain showers at this time of year, common garden pests are also out in force.
Warmer wet conditions are ideal for slugs and snails to thrive – and that’s a big problem for gardeners trying to maintain healthy thriving plants. But Alan has some words of advice to stop them in their tracks. He shared a video on Instagram detailing his method – and while it’s focused on his Hosta plant, the theory applies to other potted plants.
Alan advises investing in some feet for your pots to keep them raised. He captioned his clip: “Pot feet and a dry spring are the answer to the question ‘Why don’t your hosta leaves have holes in them?’ Wet springs and easy access to the emerging buds suit slugs and snails much better!”
“Thanks for the tips, I will get some pot feet!” one fan wrote in response. Other people, meanwhile, shared their own hacks.
“I put vaseline around the rim of the pots (reapply every week) you must check the pot for slugs first otherwise you just trap them in with a great feast,” someone else said. “I also add coffee grounds around the base of the plant and I make a chilli and garlic spray to spray on the leaves…….. I also have beer traps scattered all round the garden. I personally wouldn’t plant hostas in the ground as it’s near impossible to control the slugs.”
Another added: “I swear by beer traps . They’ve seriously changed my life … no more slugs.” It comes after a woman shared her very quick and easy hack to see whether or not plants need watering.
TikTok user Samantha Rose said: “My dad taught me one of the best garden hacks. This is going to save you a lot of time, and a lot of plant’s lives. The best way to tell if your plant needs water? Just kick the pot.”
In her video, it doesn’t move after she kicks the pot it doesn’t move, which she interprets as the plant not needing any more water She said: “If it doesn’t move, it doesn’t need water. If it moves, it needs water.”
This clever gardening tip got over 81,000 likes from people online who thought it was smart. One person said: “Not going to lie as a professional horticulturist, I walk around the greenhouses doing this all day and tipping hanging baskets.”
Will you be giving the hacks a go? Let us know in the comments.
