Garden pest tips given

As spring moves closer, rural insurance provider NFU Mutual has given a range of advice to gardeners on how to deal with pesky pests.

The firm explains that slugs and snails can be tempted away from plants with the skins of oranges and grapefruits and then placing a range of different materials around plants to prevent the slippery customers from returning, such as felt roofing material and horse hair.

Mans best friend can also cause havoc in the garden, with dog pee killing grass. As such, the firm suggests putting a tablespoon of tomato juice in a canines food twice a day to neutralise the harmful acid in the urine and save the grass – it also does not harm the pooch.

In order to keep moles away, gardeners can mix dung from ferrets or badgers -both of which are the beasties natural predators – with some water to form a paste which, when painted in mole runs, will keep them away.

Meanwhile, Down Garden Services explains that aphids can be dislodged from plants in the greenhouse with a spray from a hose with good force.