Slugs can cause a lot of damage to garden plants and vegetables (stock image) (Image: Getty)
A gardening expert has shared his top tips for keeping slugs at bay – and it’s not the use of eggshells or bark. As the lighter nights and warmer weather are here for the foreseeable, many people are keen to spruce up their gardens and make the most of their outdoor spaces.
Plants and flowerbeds can soon become overrun by slugs, causing a lot of damage. This can present as tatty, varied holes in leaves, or shredded seedlings, or foliage marred by slime-trails which can kill new growth overnight.
They’re very active in damp conditions and are also drawn to root vegetables and potato tubers, which they tunnel into – but Sunday Times bestselling author and gardening whizz Simon Akeroyd may have the solution.
The professional gardener boasts more than 25 years of experience and, like many experts, shares his guidance on social media.
In a recent video shared on TikTok, Simon recommended using sheep’s wool to deter slugs.
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He explained: “Best method of controlling slugs – I find this is the most effective way of reducing slug damage.
“Next time you’re on a walk in the countryside (this is near me on Dartmoor), you’ll often find loads of sheep’s wool attached to barbed wire, branches, etc.
“Collect as much as you can – slugs don’t like moving over the uncomfortable, dry, fibrous material – place the sheep’s wool around plants in pots.”
He continued: “Sheep’s wool is also a great mulch – it retains moisture and suppresses weeds. Also, place wool along the rows of veggies. I find many slugs don’t like to cross the wool. It’s not 100% protection but it does seem to reduce damage.”
Simon finished the clip by encouraging people to “enjoy” looking for wool while out and about on a country walk.
In the comments section, fellow TikTok user were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “Yes! I’m doing this with the echinacea I transplanted from pot to soil. I was horrified at the first night’s slug attack. It is working, though I have to rearrange it regularly as something moves it about at night.”
Another said: “I keep learning so much about plants and gardening from this account, it’s insane.” While a third simply said: “Brilliant.”
@simonakeroydgardener
I find sheep’s wool helps to reduce slug damage. It’s not 100% successful but it will help increase your chances of thwarting slugs, especially if combined with other slug-damage prevention methods. I assume the slugs don’t like travelling over the uncomfortable, dry fibrous material of sheep’s wool which is perhaps irritating to them. Sheep’s wool is also a great mulch over the surface of soil and compost as it locks in moisture and suppresses weeds. I usually find loads of free sheep’s wool on my walks in the countryside where sheep have scratched against trees or got snagged on barbed wire.
♬ Stop – Sam Brown
Someone else commented: “You’re fabulous, wish we could be neighbours.”
But one person shared: “We put coffee grounds down as it was said that they don’t like crawling over that… they did.”
Another asked: “What about dog hair? Silly question I know but my long haired [German shepherd] hair would come in handy lol.”
The expert replied: “Yes, I use my dog’s fur clippings. Just make sure they haven’t had a recent flea treatment.”
Simon’s new gardening book, Way to Grow, was released on April 9. In it, the experienced gardener details “100 of [his] top tips to help you save time and money and have fun while growing plants”.
It’s aimed at all people, from beginners to “more experienced growers” and covers tips like how to reuse and repurpose coffee grounds and “old tights”, as well as ideas to “water pots with lengths of string”, make a watering can out of a milk carton, and feed plants using banana skins.
Potato connoisseurs can plant their spuds in “a tower built from chicken wire” while plant lovers could learn to “grow a cactus from supermarket fruit”, among other tips.
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