Plant pot protection plans

Gardeners eager to protect their plant containers from would-be thieves have a number of options at their disposal, according to the Suns gardening editor.

Peter Seabrook makes his suggestions in the publications online pages, putting forward the idea of coating the rims of pots with Vaseline to make them harder for opportunistic burglars to make off with.

Meanwhile, jagged-edged copper strips around the top of containers will act as a deterrent to robbers – and slugs too.

Bolts and anchors can be used to secure pots to a concrete base, while hanging baskets that are within reach can be padlocked to their wall brackets for additional security.

Concluding, Mr Seabrook suggests that all valuable machinery and tools are marked with the name and address of their owners.

In related news, financial service provider Lloyds TSB recently noted that gardens can lead to a wide range of insurance claims, from paving slabs being stolen to fire damage from barbecues.