Spring has arrived, bringing hotter days and humid nights that herald the unwelcome return of slugs to British gardens.
This implies gardeners now face a race towards time to guard their younger vegetation from these voracious pests because the rising season begins.
In keeping with Tom Clamp, head of technical at Doff Portland, this season might see one other surge in hungry slugs.
"The latest dry spells mixed with cooler night-time temperatures have pushed slugs again underground quickly," Tom defined.
"Though we did expertise some frosty and snowy circumstances in winter, it wasn't extended sufficient.
"Many slug eggs subsequently survived and now, with circumstances turning into extra humid, we're seeing an lively inhabitants re-emerge."
Pure predators and illness have considerably curbed earlier years of excessive slug numbers, however lots stay.
"The largest concern is the emergence of younger slugs," Tom warned. "They're notably hungry and are indiscriminate feeders, that means they’ll shortly decimate tender crops like vegetable seedlings, strawberries and bedding vegetation whereas potatoes are additionally weak."
Making issues worse is their speedy replica price. Not solely does this amplify the possibilities of infestation, nevertheless it additionally requires gardeners to handle the difficulty early earlier than populations spiral uncontrolled.
"Grownup slugs can lay as much as 500 eggs a yr and the growing temperatures cut back hatching occasions," Tom added.
Slugs feed largely at evening and may devour as much as 40 occasions their physique weight in a single day. This leaves gardeners discovering chewed leaves and broken roots by morning.
With slug populations on the rise, Tom supplied 5 sensible suggestions for gardeners to guard their vegetation.
"Copper tape is a straightforward and efficient deterrent," says Tom. "When wrapped round pots or raised beds, it offers slugs a innocent static shock."
Creating limitations is one other easy resolution. Chemical-free barrier pellets or natural slug pellets containing ferric phosphate can present safety.
Encouraging pure predators like hedgehogs and frogs helps too. "Constructing habitats like log piles, wild corners or including a pond can encourage wildlife into your backyard," Tom suggested.
Beer traps provide a conventional different, with Tom suggesting: "Bury a small container at soil degree, half-filled with beer, to draw and lure slugs in a single day."
Lastly, defend weak seedlings early by elevating them beneath glass and watering them within the morning quite than the night.