h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just been watching Monty Don's programme on TV. He did an experiment where he had lettuces (protected by various means) inside a compound containing sluga.

Copper impregnated discs worked to an extent, as did pistacchio nut shells, which also contained salt. Howeve, the most effective method, which was also the cheapest, was to spread bran around the plants. The drawback of this method is that the bran has to be periodically topped up, especially if it gets wet.

I think I've heard of using bran before. Sounds a good method, although, as always, I'm happiest with the options that require less work.

I didn't like the method of one woman on the programme who suggested putting cat food onto newspaper and leaving it out overnight. In the morning use a pair of secateurs to slice the slugs, and leave the remains out for the birds (I am reluctant even to post this idea)

Cruelty to invertebrates. I think we should alert someone. Although I did flick one off a spade this morning and I think another one has ended up in a bag destined for the council to collect and compost. But it's not like I'm deliberately trying to hurt them. I think someone should point the Gardener's World team at this page.

Well, to be fair, Monty Don did say that slugs and snails are fascinating creatures, and alluded to the fact that one can enjoy their presence whilst protecting ones plants by natural means. I just wish hey hadn't described the 'execution' method!

That's the Beeb for you, they have to be balanced.

I remember one week they had Bill Oddie on to give a voice for the pro-slug lobby. One of the things he mentioned was the beautiful spectacle of two slugs copulating...Well, whatever floats your boat Bill...

The bran thing seems a bit impractical to me though. If I have to top it up every time it gets wet, I'd need to do a lot of work and spend a fortune. Even on the sunniest days here, rain's always a possibility.

In general, I just let the slugs have their way. I don't mind holes in leaves if they don't kill anything. They rarely do, unless it's small seedlings, so I just start seeds off in containers until they're big enough to take a bit of punishment.

I never sow straight into the soil, nothing ever grows, but that's the price I pay for having a wildlife garden.

My honesty and J's sunflowers haven't survived, which we were disappointed about, but we were very pleased to find a hedgehog hiding in the garden this morning, so we're hopeful that the slugs will end up dinner.

It's the topping up of stuff that puts me off some of these methods. I'm happy to just live with it. We'll try again next year with the plants that we really like that didn't make it this year. Neither of them are perenial, so we'd have to keep sowing them anyway.