Pulmonaria, an excellent early source of pollen and nectar, has done unusually well in our garden this year - P Brook
In less sunny years, there are practical things you can do to help plants that may struggle to survive slug attacks. Try putting susceptible plants away from dense cover where slugs will thrive. We grow our most susceptible flowering plants in pots on our paved area or on the garden table. We successfully grow lettuce in the greenhouse. We think slugs are deterred by the long slither to dinner.
Delosperma surviving slugs in a pot on our garden table - P. Brook
Starting plants off in a greenhouse and growing them to a good size gives them a head start on slugs. Plants tend to be wonderfully lush and attractive to slugs when they first come out of the greenhouse, so it’s worth toughening them up before putting them in the border or vegetable plot. We keep an eye on the weather forecast and try to plant out when growing conditions will be good and avoid cool, damp conditions that will encourage slug activity. If despite all this care a plant is being demolished by slugs and snails, it’s worth digging it up and growing it on until it is large enough to withstand the slugs, usually about a foot tall. In the case of runner bean plants, we try to have a few spares just in case!
Runner bean plant which will be at least a foot tall before we risk planting it at the allotment - P Brook
Slugs and snails tend to be more active at night so it may help to water plants in the morning rather than the evening. Some people use barriers against slugs; WAGAs’ experience of these is variable but the Royal Horticultural Society is a good source of information. Many WAGAs cope with slugs and snails by growing wildlife-friendly plants, mainly perennials, that survive them naturally. In future blogs, we will share information about some of our favourite slug-resistant plants.
Over the summer we host open gardens at our Tyland Barn Nature Park and Gardens and our Wild About Gardens volunteers nature-friendly gardens. Get your gardening questions answered and get some inspiration for your own garden.
Looking to create a garden that’s not just beautiful but also provides a range of benefits for wildlife, as well as ongoing summer flowers? There’s lots of consider when choosing plants. I’m the Wild About Gardens Officer at Kent Wildlife Trust and these…
What does wildlife-friendly gardening mean to our new Wild About Gardens Officer? Ellen Tout shares what inspires her garden, and how we can all make a huge difference for nature right outside our back doors.
As a keen gardener I’ve always been intrigued to visit Chelsea Flower Show. I finally had the chance this year. Despite it being slightly wetter day than I might have liked, it was a great experience!
