The long-awaited arrival of summer may make Brits happy – but it often also comes with slimy slugs taking over our homes and gardens.
Luckily, fans of cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch – aka Sophie Hinchliffe – have come to the rescue once again with a handbag-friendly hack that combats pesky pests.
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Slugs and snails are common garden animals and adapt well to the UK’s wet, mild climate.
Although only a few species feed on garden plants and some may even be considered a gardener’s friend, there is no denying that these pests can be a nuisance and irritating.
One person who certainly knows a little about this is an anonymous Facebook user who turned to the popular Mrs Hinch made me do it page to seek advice after your new property arrived with ”a major slug problem”.
Seeing if the other group members had any tips and tricks, the person explained, “I’ve never had to deal with this before, but it’s really discouraging me.
“I go down at night and there are 10 [slugs] tuning my kitchen.
“Nothing feels clean and they are really starting to get to me.
”I have slug repellent, but does anyone have any ideas that have worked for them?”
According to Mrs Hinch’s frustrated supporter, they have been “relocating” the slugs outside – however, to no avail, as this solution has not worked either.
Fortunately, many homeowners and gardeners were on hand to share tried-and-true solutions.
A common solution was to use salt.
“Put salt in the round door at the bottom of all the pipes that enter the house,” one of them suggested.
“Look under the cabinets, they also sit flat, so use expanding foam or good padding for even a small gap.
“Salt works,” agreed another, praising the economical hack that should cost around 60 cents.
“Salt on every doorframe,” someone was raving about the handy kitchen remedy.
”I have slugs in my passage that come from ventilation bricks through the wall and come out down the stairs. I pulled out all the rugs and added a lot of salt, it seems I stopped them.
Why do slugs want to get in?
Dr. Gordon Portosenior lecturer at the University of Newcastle explained: “Slugs are extremely flexible.
“Even though most have a small housing (or inner housing), they can fit through most small holes, such as the small pinholes that may exist around piping.
“However, they can also fit through gaps under doors,” he said.
However, if you spot a snail trail in your kitchen in the morning, don’t waste too much time looking for the culprit pests in question.
As the expert explains, Reported scientific focusA slug is likely to leave your property during the day – and then ”as soon as it gets dark, they will become active again”.
“Most slugs and snails only travel a few meters per night.
“And to help them find their way back to the same house every night, they will follow the scent of their old slime.”
Why having slugs in your garden is a good thing
Yes, they chew on your precious plants, but having slugs in your garden should be celebrated.
Rebecca Miller, associate editor at Fabulous and novice gardener, believes we should work in harmony with slugs and not try to get rid of them completely.
“We have been conditioned as a society to believe that we should have gardens with straight edges, short lawns with pretty stripes, and perfect borders with constantly blooming flowers.
But unruly hedges, an abundance of tall wildflowers teeming with bugs and insects, and slugs galore in flower beds are completely natural—and necessary.
I understand that your plants may be very precious to you, but we need slugs and snails. They provide food for all types of mammals, birds, slow worms, earthworms, insects – and are part of the natural balance.
By removing them, we disrupt the ecosystem and can cause a lot of damage – robins in particular thrive on them!
It is said that British gardeners use around 650 billion slug pellets a year! Please find a natural alternative – the poison from slug pellets enters the food chain and can kill hedgehogs, which consider slugs and snails a tasty treat.
If you’re really desperate, consider using Diatomaceous Earth – it’s a natural compound approved for organic use, which can be used for pest control.
And while you’re at it, challenge yourself to grow “sacrificial plants.”
Sacrificial planting, commonly known as trap farming, is the deliberate act of growing plants to attract pests. Choose a slugs’ favorite vegetable or ornamental plant for them to nibble on, and they’ll leave your most precious plants alone.
Other Slug Repellents to Try
Salt not working? There were also many other tips and tricks that people swear by, including using your morning cup of coffee.
”Coffee powder (free at Starbucks) at all entry points. It’s safe and non-toxic,” said a fan of the drink.
Meanwhile, another member of the popular page advised trying a different bevvy – lager.
”Put some beer in a container so they can get in. They love beer… then throw it away. Enough of them.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
