Slug-fest? Say goodbye to slimy invaders with these natural remedies

Slugs are every gardener's worst nightmare. No matter how diligently you pick them off your plants, more are sure to follow.

Do what it takes, but as little as possible to control slugs, says the German Agricultural Industry Association (IVA). If the infestation is small, try collecting the slugs by hand or setting up fences and copper barriers around beds.

Slugs don't like touching copper, so either tack copper tape around your pots or along the stone or timber rims of the beds, or place solid copper rings around your plants.

Watering the garden in the morning instead of the evening can also keep out slugs as the molluscs need moist soil to move around. Nesting grounds for blackbirds, starlings and magpies also protect from slugs, as they are among their natural enemies. The same applies to hedgehogs sheltering in piles of leaves.

Only loosen up flower beds after the first frost to destroy any slug spawn hibernating in them. Always remove weeds and only cover your beds with a thin layer of mulch made from dried leaves and straw in summer.

Slug pellets to tackle infestations

If all these measures leave you at your wits' end and you cannot contain a slug infestation, try molluscicides, also known as snail baits or slug pellets, instead. The preparations contain pesticides that will definitely kill the snails.

Various studies have found that they do not harm mammals like hedgehogs, birds or earthworms, according to the IVA.

However, use them in moderation and follow the instructions. Slug pellets should always be spread out, never in piles. Keep the opened package away from children and pets.