Advice to gardeners after slug explosion

11:03am Thursday 6th September 2007

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WILDLIFE experts are offering advice to gardeners who have been hit by a big rise in the slug population.

The Lancashire WIldlife Trust reported an increase in the number of slugs and snails on all its Bolton allotments after wet weather made for perfect breeding conditions.

Nikki Davidson-Kerr, Lancashire Wildlife Trust's organic growing officer, based in Bury Road, said: "The best method for controlling slugs is to pick them off your plants in early evening. Once you have collected them you have to decide whether you are going to kill them yourself or try to get rid of them by other means, such as putting them on a bird table."

And James Hall, project officer for the Seven Acres Country Park in Breightmet, said: "There are lots of methods employed by different gardeners in the fight against slugs. By far the best option for controlling the slug population is to attract natural predators to your garden - frogs, toads, birds and hedgehogs. Therefore, the inclusion of a pond, log pile and hedgehog home are all excellent ideas."