Gardeners urged to watch for slugs

4th July 2012

The warm, wet weather has been cited as the reason why the UK is the recipient of a slug boom, reports scotsman.com.

Fruit and vegetable farmers, as well as domestic gardeners, are being warned about the potential menace slugs can cause because recent soggy conditions have been cited as perfect breeding conditions for the slug.

As a result of the slug epidemic, DIY chain B&Q has seen a 44 per cent rise in slug pellets as gardeners seek to protect their precious flowers growing in beds located in the back garden and potentially next to their contemporary garden buildings.

In addition, the slug population has increased by 50 per cent this year, reports farmersguardian.com, so gardeners and farmers must stay wary.

Peter Brownless, nursery supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, commented on the slug epidemic: "Slugs have been particularly prevalent this year. We have all different types of environment at the gardens and have a slug that fits every one of those. The big grey ones live in the rock garden and are eating the alpines.

"Our dahlias have been well chewed and the tulips outside the palm house got badly attacked. Our hostas and delphiniums have been quite well eaten," he added.

It's not just the UK that is facing a slug problem as continental Europe also faces a similar dilemma.

Ashley Curtis