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Village Web Site Forum
Hazel Martell
Sutton
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 20:30 |
Are there any flowering plants that slugs don't like?
As well as decluttering inside the house, I'm thinking of sorting the garden out. I was so overwhelmed with slugs last year that I never planted anything, but I hope to do better this year. So, I've two questions for all the gardeners out there.
(1) Which flowering plants do slugs not like? In the past they've usually left the geraniums alone, but I'd like a bit more variety than that if possible.
(2) What's the most effective way of getting rid of slugs, without harming other animal life? This year even the winter hasn't killed many!
Many thanks in advance.
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Howard Barrett
Silsden
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 21:15 |
Non-Stop Begonias will do the trick. You won't need any slug pellets because the slugs and snails don't go near them. Well they do, but they soon turn around and give it up as a bad job!
They come in a range of colours and even look good planted randomly with respect to colour. Plant them no sooner than Spring Bank to ensure the frost has gone for the season. They will last until first frost next season ie late October/November and once flowering they will just keep coming as their name suggests if you dead-head them. Suggest you plant them in clusters, planting them no nearer than 6 inches apart. The flowers from adjacent plants will then touch each other to give a carpet-like appearance besides stopping the sun reach any weeds that might be thinking of an uprising! Good for flat areas, borders, even rockeries to brighten them up for summer. They prefer sunny or at least warm locations, which will also bring them on faster. They are pretty hardy plants that don't demand much TLC and quite forgiving if you forget to water them for a day or two. They like feeding once in a while. By the way, I'm no gardner. I just plant about 200 of these every year, forget them, and wait about a month for the garden to be a sea of colour. Don't be surprised if some of them reach a foot in height. I even stick them in troughs, tubs and hanging baskets. Good luck. |
Hazel Martell
Sutton
Thursday, April 2, 2015 21:55 |
Many thanks for that, Howard. I'll take your advice and try Non-Stop Begonias. I'll get them ordered as plug plants this weekend, ready for a late May delivery. My garden's a mixture of sun and shade, but well-sheltered, so they should do okay. |
Howard Barrett
Silsden
Thursday, April 2, 2015 22:34 |
I buy mine larger than plugs, typically in those black plastic vacuum formed trays holding 6 separate plants. My thoughts are that if you start with plugs at the end of May, they won't be mature by the end of June. They will probably be more fragile during their first few weeks.
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Hazel Martell
Sutton
Monday, April 6, 2015 15:10 |
Many thanks for the extra advice, Howard. Actually, when I said plug plants, I meant growing them from little plants rather than from corms. But I'll buy the biggest ones I can find to give them the best chance. |
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