Slugs and snails can wreak havoc in your garden — but there is a humane method to deal with the problem, according to one Irish expert who described it as a ‘secret weapon’
Liam McInerney Content Editor
05:05, 25 Apr 2026
You can remove snails and slugs without harsh chemicals (Image: Getty)
Slugs and snails might appear harmless, but as countless homeowners will attest, they can wreak absolute havoc in your garden at this time of year.
Thankfully, one gardening specialist has revealed there is a “secret weapon” available in garden centres to tackle the problem that he believes the majority of people aren’t even aware of.
These pests are notorious for destroying plants and crops throughout spring and summer, and can even devastate entire harvests by feasting on fruits such as strawberries and tomatoes.
However, there is a humane solution to the issue, as outlined by Peter Dowdall, who described slugs and snails as “the most common garden problem right now”.
Peter, also known as The Irish Gardener, said: “A lot of people just go straight for slug pellets which I’m not a huge fan of because of ecological reasons.
Peter Dowdall at Chelsea Flower Show(Image: RSVP Live)
“There is a secret weapon if you like against slugs and snails which not a lot of people are aware of and that’s sheep’s wool. There are pellets available made from sheep’s wool which are perfect barrier products.”
These pellets should be placed around the plants you wish to protect, forming a barrier that slugs are unable to cross.
Peter went on to say: “It keeps the plant safe, it doesn’t kill the slugs, but that’s important too because slugs are food for hedgehogs and birds.
“It’s all about the natural balance if you like, creating the natural balance just means that by maintaining a good diversity of species in the garden, you prevent the unnatural building of any one.
“So, sheep wool is a nice hidden weapon people aren’t aware of and they are available through most garden centres as well.”
Snail Invasion on the salad garden
Sheep’s wool pellets, described online as eco-friendly and sustainable, can cost up to €22.50 in Ireland and they are often made from wool that would otherwise go to waste.
Peter has spent over three decades working on gardens — and he also revealed to this reporter how people are currently making a “big mistake”.
Addressing the error, he said people have been in a “mad rush” to brighten up their gardens now that the warmer weather has arrived.
He added: “Run down to the garden centre, get lots and lots of summer bedding plants and put them out straight away. That’s a big mistake.”
The Irish Gardener Peter Dowdall (Image: )
Explaining why this was such an issue, he said: “With the lovely blue sky days, at the moment, that does mean cold nights. So these plants wouldn’t be, they wouldn’t even be resistant to low temperatures.
“It wouldn’t have to b ea frost or zero, if it is down to two, three, or four, it is too cold for them.
“So a lot of these plants, all of these plants really, would have been grown in artificial conditions, in glass houses, in tunnels, and then you will be buying them in either centrally heated supermarkets or in a projected structure in a garden centre, so that’s why they look good, but they are not ready to go outside straight away.”
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