v: Garden Gems gastropods. Deterrents include eggshells, coffee grounds, wool pellets, Garlic spray and copper tape. Eggshells (crushed but not too small) or coffee grounds should be placed around the plants that the slugs and snails find attractive, as shown in the photo featuring a Courgette plant (Cucurbita pepo). The pests do not like the crunchy texture on their little slimy bodies so keep their distance. These substances will eventually compost down into the soil, so they do not need to be removed when the plant has grown.
Pruning, Pests and Plenty Ruth Crichton-Ward Summer is now upon us, although that may be hard to believe. Finally, the temperatures have risen following the cold spells of late April and early May. I often consider May the best month of the year in terms of weather, but this year it was not to be. June can be a busy month in the garden. Everything seems to be having a growth spurt. The grass needs cut, and beds and borders require regular weeding. Plants burst into flower. By now the frosts have passed and plants which have been kept indoors or in cold frames can be planted out. Keep watering and feeding plants regularly as required. Spring flowering shrubs such as Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia) should be pruned now, as the flowers grow on the previous year’s growth. If pruning is left until later in the year, the plant will not have time to produce fresh growth and so will not be able to bloom the following year. Other early flowering shrubs include Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) and Bridalwreath Spiraea (Spiraea prunifolia). One of the issues we now face is the prevalence of slugs and snails— the gardener’s nemeses. Every gardener you ask will have different suggestions for deterring or getting rid of the dreaded 29
Ways of dispatching the pesky creatures include nematodes and beer traps. I also know gardeners who prefer the oldfashioned way of catching them, which involves going out at night with a torch and manually collecting them in a bucket — certainly an environmentally friendly method. I have deliberately not included slug pellets in this list as my heart always sinks at the mention of them. Wildlife such
