Cheap £5 gardening hack will deter slugs from plants with just two items

Slugs, the bane of many British gardens, are known for their destructive appetite for plants.

However, gardeners can employ tactics to protect their prized flowers from these persistent pests. Slugs are a common nuisance in UK gardens, thriving in the damp and mild conditions.

While some slugs contribute positively by consuming decaying organic matter, others have a taste for the vibrant flowers that gardeners cultivate with care.

Thankfully, there are effective methods to deter these slimy invaders, as shared by TikTok gardening enthusiasts @bilgemehmet23. The channel's latest tip has caught the attention of green-fingered followers.

In a recent video, gardening aficionado Sam disclosed his approach to keeping slugs at bay. He uses a simple yet ingenious method involving just two household items.

Sam's technique involves 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: "This actually works, guys. If we don't put it on there, by the morning, we've got a slug problem again. They just don't go near it."

The video exhibits Sam cleverly utilising the pot to shield his plant and deter slugs. "So this will protect my plant, and I'll be able to water it individually as well," he shared.

Quirkily adding: "People laugh at me, but really, I've had a slug problem before so I just thought, let's just try it. And it's worked for us."

Dr Gordon Port, a senior lecturer from Newcastle University, explained that the salt essentially dehydrates the slugs, leading to their expiry within mere minutes. He expounded this to BBC Science Focus.

However, be aware that salt can potentially damage plants and disrupt soil balance, hence the advice against directly sprinkling it into the soil.

Readily available from your local grocery store, table salt makes for an efficient solution for this garden hack. A 750g pack of Saxa Table Salt is also currently on offer from Amazon for only £1.70.

Adding Vaseline to your weekly shop could serve as another alternative, with a 250g tub of Nuage Everyday Essential Petroleum Jelly available through Amazon for £3.45.

Therefore, the total cost won't surpass £5.15 while offering durability over considerable time.