Gardeners are urged to try a £1 trick today to prevent slug infestations in October
GARDEN KEEPERS are being urged to do a vital job before October to prevent slug infestations.
So if you want your garden to impress your guests and don’t want annoying creepy crawlies slithering over your beautiful plants, you need to take notes.
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Garden enthusiasts have revealed that if you want your garden to be snail-free this winter, you need instant coffee – yes, you heard that right.
The pros at gardening blog Tea and Coffee explained: “Coffee grounds contain a chemical called an alkaloid, which is toxic to slugs and snails.
“When slugs ingest coffee grounds, they suffer severe dehydration and eventually die.
“For these reasons, slugs will avoid areas where coffee grounds are scattered.
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“Coffee grounds can be a useful tool in deterring these pests.”
As a result, gardeners have been warned to pour coffee granules into their gardens before October.
As autumn arrives and the weather becomes wetter and more miserable, it is essential to try to tackle slug numbers before they get completely out of control.
These invading molluscs will do everything they can to devastate your garden, feasting on strawberries, raspberries, tomato plants, potato leaves and flowers of all kinds in their relentless search for food.
Slug and snail populations have surged this summer, spurred by damp and gloomy weather, but conditions are expected to deteriorate further next month.
And as the weather becomes wetter, these pests will find the perfect environment to multiply in your garden.
Even worse, slugs will mate and lay eggs all fall, creating an even larger population of slugs and snails next year.
But that’s where instant coffee comes into play: Cheap coffee grounds not only give you that much-needed caffeine fix in the morning, but they can also give a big boost to whatever is growing in your garden.
Garden work in September
As September begins, so does autumn, and The Sun’s garden editor Veronica Lorraine has a few tasks to keep you busy as the summer sun sets.
1. Start thinking about spring bulbs
It’s early bulb time! In addition to the more traditional daffodils, crocuses, alliums and bluebells, try snakehead fratillaries for something different.
2. Think of the bees
Make sure you still provide bees with fall flowering pollinators, such as sedums, honeysuckle and asters.
3. Dig and enjoy your potatoes
Main crop potatoes are ready to be harvested. Make sure you collect them all so they don’t take damage from slugs.
4. Change your mowing schedule
Increase the height of your lawn mower and start reducing the amount of mowing you do. Give it an autumn feeding, especially if you didn’t get around to it in the summer and start raking to remove the thatch.
5. Plant new perennials while the soil is still warm.
6. Take salvia cuttings
It’s as simple as cutting off the tip of a shoot above a node and throwing it into a glass of water to see if roots sprout. Especially with tender Salvias that do not survive the winter.
7. Keep camellias well watered to ensure buds form next year.
8. Continue deadheading and watering your hanging baskets
They should continue until the first frost.
9. Prepare pumpkins for Halloween
Remove any leaves that shade the pumpkins to ensure they are ready for Halloween. Make sure you keep watering them, they are very thirsty.
10. Check your pond
Make a net for your pond to prevent it from filling with fallen leaves when the trees start to fall.
Some studies have even shown that caffeine actually improves plant growth, making this not only an affordable way to repel slugs, but also a great way to add color and depth to your outdoor space.
Caffeine is toxic to slugs and snails, which is why many gardening experts advocate its use as a form of pest control.
Garden tips and hacks
It’s worth noting that coffee, which has been found to reduce slug populations by 50 to 90 percent, is a particularly painful death for slugs, even more so than salt.
Therefore, it is advised to avoid applying coffee grounds directly to slugs or snails.
Instead, simply sprinkle the coffee grounds into the ground and around raised beds or pots during dry, clear weather.
Then, when it rains, snails will not cross the coffee grounds, protecting your beloved flowers and crops.
If you run out of instant coffee, or don’t feel like using your instant coffee Nice stuff in your garden, you can get it from Tesco for just £1, making this simple trick ideal for those on a budget.
