Garden lovers, brace yourselves for some green-fingered wisdom straight from a gardening expert. BBC presenter and experienced landscape artist Karen Gimson has dropped a golden nugget of advice for saving your beloved greenery from slugs and snails - notorious for munching away several times their body weight in plant goodness daily. Karen, who's been head gardener for over a quarter of a century, unveiled a "tried and tested" homemade remedy that promises to fend off these slimy invaders without resorting to harsh chemicals.
On her blog Bramble Garden, she let slip that garlic is the magic element that slugs can't stand, thanks to allicin – a potent chemical in garlic that naturally sends them sliding away. She notes: "It deters slugs, but does not poison them. This means the slugs are left available as food for birds and mammals such as hedgehogs.". The best garlic spray recipe, according to Karen, hails from Sienna Hosta, an award-winning nursery known for its hostas and commitment to chemical-free gardening, reports the Express.
Here's what you need:. Instructions. Start by tossing both garlic and water into a pot and crank up the heat to medium on your stove. Wait for the garlic to soften, then give it a good squishing with a fork to squeeze out maximum garlicky goodness. Sieve out the skin to obtain a cloudy liquid. Mix approximately two tablespoons of this concoction with litres of water in a spray bottle or watering can. Once a week, spray your plants and garden with the solution. Apply it after rainfall for optimal effectiveness. If the weather is damp and rainy, you might require a stronger dose and more frequent applications.
