Slugs, generally harmless, become a nightmare for gardeners when they target prized plants, often munching on leaves, flowers, and stems under the cover of darkness.
While these slimy critters are nocturnally active, leaving behind a glistening trail that gives away their presence by morning, catching them in action remains tricky.
These pesky pests pose a challenge to control, however, fans of cleaning guru Mrs Hinch have come up with a simple remedy to keep the slugs at bay from your garden plants.
In one online group, distressed gardener Yvonne Johnston posted: “Hi, does anyone have any tips on keeping slugs away from outdoor plants? I understand this is not cleaning-related but they’re driving me mad!”
The plea sparked a flurry of responses from the Hinch army, with more than 150 comments flooding in, yet the most common weapon against slugs was surprisingly garlic.
One user, Sophie Claire Grayson, advised: “Boil garlic for an hour and use it to spray all over the plants. It works as a natural repellent because they hate the stuff.”
Another green-fingered enthusiast Glenys Ray shared: “Boil a bulb of garlic for 20 minutes. Use the liquid and add some water. Water the plants. The smell makes them stay away so I’m told.”
Kate Hynes recommended the same homemade remedy: “Garlic crushed in hot water then put in a spray bottle. Let it go cold then spray your plant.”
Jean Solder offered her two cents, advising: “Boil up two garlic bulbs for an hour and allow it to steep overnight. The next day, mash or blend it up, and strain it into a bottle. Allow two tablespoons of garlic water to a watering can. And water your plants. Hostas, Cannas etc are slug-free.”
Fans of cleaning superstar Mrs Hinch also chimed in with other crafty tips including coffee grounds, salt, tea bags, eggshells, baking soda, and beer as potent anti-slug weaponry.
Debbie Emmett shared her strategy: “Coffee grounds. I dry my used coffee grounds on the filter paper by just leaving it in the sun for a few hours. It makes it easier to sprinkle where you want it.”
Tracey Harris had a simple solution too: “I put salt around the base of the pots.”
Meanwhile, Ann Johnson was all for brewing up a defence saying: “Tea bags keep slugs and snails away. I thought it was a silly idea but I still tried it and it works.”
Deborah Young Saltern claimed: “Eggshells work wonders.” Dee Dee believed in the power of baking soda: “I believe putting bicarbonate of soda around the plants helps.”
Lastly, Carol Webb provided this boozy tip: “A yoghurt carton submerged in the ground with beer in it.”
