Slugs can be quite a pain when it comes to your garden. In the UK, the pests tend to show up more frequently from spring through to autumn.
They thrive in warm, damp conditions and often wreak havoc during wet weather. Now as the UK is expecting heavy rain on the way, it means those slugs might invade soon.
Luckily, there are many solutions to keeping them away. But if you don’t want to drench your plants in chemicals, here’s a homemade solution you wish you knew sooner – and you won’t need any lemon or vinegar.
A content creator, who often shares his tips and tricks on TikTok where he boasts 7.3million followers, revealed a simple mixture using 4 ingredients.
The @creative_explained said in a video: “Did you know if you add a tiny bit of dish soap in a cup, then grab a red onion, dice it up and add it in…
“Dice up three garlic cloves, add them in as well and one jalapeño, boom… now fill this up with some warm water. Give it a mix and let it sit for about 12 hours, then grab a spray bottle and strain out the liquid from this mixture into it…”
He told followers this mixture is super potent, so it’s important to dilute it with some water. He added: “Give it a shake and boom! We just made a homemade bug spray that’ll stop aphids, gnats, slugs from eating your plants.
“Spray it on your leaves and make sure you get under them… spray around the plant as well. This will also help keep away spider mites. Do it before the sun comes out… that way you won’t burn the leaves.”
The content creator shared the mixture for anyone who doesn’t want any chemicals on their plants. He urged followers to stop buying pesticides and insecticides.
He concluded: “Just as effective and a lot cheaper in the long run!”
How to stop slugs from entering your home:
Seal entry points: Make sure you use sealant or chalk to block any gaps or cracks where slugs can squeeze through.
Create physical barriers: Slugs don’t like rough and absorbent textures, so sprinkle a line of salt or talcum powder along entryways.
Remove anything attracting: If you keep your home dry and clean, slugs have no reason to enter. Clean up spills, store food securely and remove any standing water or dampness.
Set traps: If the problem is bad, catch existing indoor slugs by placing a shallow dish and fill it with beer or a marmite-and-water mix in problem areas. They will be attracted to the scent and drown.
Dining and Cooking