Gardeners dislike snails and slugs taking over their beautiful garden spaces, but Alan Titchmarsh has revealed four must-have flowers that will keep them away all-year round
Every gardener dislikes slugs and snails roaming around their beautiful garden spaces. Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has revealed four flowers in the garden that can help keep them away for good.
Although warmer temperatures and longer days sound like a delightful treat, it also comes with some extra work when it comes to the maintenance of our outdoor spaces. But by planting the right, gardeners can rest assured that these unwanted visitors will not be coming anywhere near their plants.
There’s nothing more frustrating for a gardener than seeing holes in the leaves of their well-taken care of plants because slugs and snails were feeling a bit peckish. Despite the molluscs being an important part of a garden’s ecosystem for eating dead leaves, they can still get quite annoying whenever they feed on healthy plants.
But don’t worry, according to gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh, there are four plants that will help gardeners naturally deter these pests.
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Ferns
Ferns are easy to take care of, and they’re also one of the most resilient plants in getting rid of slugs and snails from the garden. During an interview with the Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast, he said: “You think they are boring, aren’t they? Well, they are not and they are brilliant for shady spots.”
There are various ferns to choose from, and they can last several years in the garden. Alan recommended picking up dyropteris, which is also known as a wood fern. They thrive in areas that lack moisture, which is the opposite of what slugs and snails look for.
Geraniums
Despite ferns being a great option, they don’t bring as much colour and vibrancy to a garden as geraniums would. These plants are also very easy to take care of, and thrive in the sunshine. Alan explained that these flowers will last “right the way through the summer” and keep any outdoor space looking beautiful for months.
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Alchemilla
Slugs and snails do really hate sun-loving plants, and alchemilla is a great example. Also known as Lady’s Mantle, their bright yellow colour can help eliminate slugs and snails.
On the podcast, he explained: “It has these scalloped-edged leaves which hold on to water like quicksilver… Which are coated in very fine down… Which puts slugs and snails off eating them.”
As reported by the Daily Mail, alchemillas can also stop weeds from emerging in flowerbeds and borders. As the plant has broad leaves spreading widely outwards, it doesn’t leave enough room or light for weeds to grow in the soil beneath.
Fuchsias and Penstemons
Fuchsias and penstemons tend to grow bigger than other flowers and can even reach very tall heights under the right conditions. Nonetheless, Alan warned about them not surviving the cold weather, only being able to keep the slugs and snails away during the summer.
Overall, the gardening expert said that the best thing to do is to look for flowers with fluffy leaves or downy stems, as pests usually avoid them because they aren’t as tasty as other flowers.
