Gardener’s Clever Trick to Keep Slugs and Snails Away from Plants
As the sunshine continues to roast the UK, many gardeners will be out tending to their flower beds and vegetable patches. But there is always a risk looming beside your beautiful blooms as slugs and snails — with their appetite for leaves, stalks, and flowers — are always close by and ready to put a dampener on the day. One inventive gardener has shared an ingenious trick to deter the slimy invaders — all for less than £1.
The Simple Trick for Deterring Slugs
A TikTok user named Sam, who goes by the handle @bilgemehmet23, has earned a loyal following for his lifestyle and gardening hacks. In one of his videos, which racked up more than 124,000 likes, he demonstrates sprinkling table salt around the edge of a plant pot with its base removed to keep the pesky molluscs at bay.
He explained: “I put that around here really cheap salt, the cheapest salt you can get. And I just go round the edges like I showed this so many times guys, honestly.” He then places the modified pot over his plants and presses it into the soil, adding, “I’ve got it central. Give it a little push-down. There you go. Leave it. And that will protect my plant and I’ll be able to water it individually.”
Personal Experience and Community Feedback
Sam also shared details of his battles with these creatures. He said: “People laugh at me, but I’ve had slug problems before, and I just had an idea one day. I said let’s just try it. And it worked for us.” Another voice off-camera agrees, saying: “If we didn’t put this on, by the morning, we’d have a slug problem again.”
Social media users were impressed by the simplicity of the hack and expressed their eagerness to try it themselves. One wrote: “I’ve used this, and I thank you. GREAT ADVICE.” Another added: “I’ve got a big slug problem.” A third praised Sam, saying: “Damn, that’s smart. Thanks, guys.”
A Step-Up Method
Last week, Sam uploaded another trick to keep the slimy invaders away from your precious blooms. This method is a step-up from the previous one, involving an additional ingredient. Sam’s technique includes modifying a plastic plant pot to allow root growth into the soil, then applying petroleum jelly around the rim and scattering salt on it. He swears by using “the cheapest salt you can get around the edges” as his go-to slug repellent. Billie, Sam’s partner, confirmed the effectiveness of this method.
By following these simple and cost-effective tricks, gardeners can protect their plants from slugs and snails all summer long, ensuring their gardens remain vibrant and healthy.
