SPRING might almost be over, but the warmer weather hasn’t stopped slugs and snails from attacking our gardens.
If you are struggling to banish these pests, one gardening whizz has come up with a genius way to stop them from destroying your fruit and veg.
Even better, this method doesn’t require any harsh chemicals, pesticide or messy clean up.
Like many gardeners, eco-warrior Jordan wasn’t thrilled with the idea of killing the slugs and snails – even after they attacked her vegetable patch.
Desperate to come up with a natural way to prevent the pest, she realised she could use a cheap buy from her local discount store: organza bags.
Though you’ll usually see these at weddings with favours packed inside, these nifty bags can be used as a protective barrier for your fruit and veg.
The content creator even demonstrated this on TikTok, with a viral video of one of her strawberries tucked inside the small bag.
Even better, the pull at the side of the bag help to prevent insects from getting in and keep it in place during bad weather.
With the video being seen by over 3.2 million people, she told fans: “This is your annual reminder that if you don’t want to lose your strawberries to slugs and snails but you also don’t believe in murder, then you can just cover them with these little mesh bags.”
The gardening whizz then went on to explain that she’d thought of the hack while shopping in her local Walmart.
Unlike other outlets, the discount store had 30 of them in packs for only a few dollars.
For those of us on the other side of the pond, you can pick up similar organza bags from Amazon and a pack of 20 will cost just £3.98.
This is an absolute steal, especially considering that most pesticides will cost over £5 and can have a damaging effect on your garden.
Before you race to the online marketplace, the amateur gardener had a few words of advice that she shared in a follow-up video.
Rather than bagging her berries as soon as they appear, the eco-friendly garden that she will use the organza after her strawberries have turned red.
She explained: “The strawberry doesn’t rot in the bag, because you don’t put it on there until it is turning red. It doesn’t stay long enough for it rot.”
She will also leave some of the misformed strawberries out for the pests, which further prevents them from going for her strawberries.
As the video has received over 3 million views on TikTok, many of Jordans has have been eager to recreate the hack.
One wrote: “We did this for our apples last year and had fewer bug issues.
We wish we’d known this nifty trip before planting our summer berries.
The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to crack on with in May.
GARDEN growth can go from nought to ninety in May, depending on the weather. The last UK frosts are generally seen at the beginning of the month, so all of a sudden there’s so much more to do and grow.
Plant out dahlia tubers
It’s a joy to finally plant out your dahlia tubers. Remember how big they can get – and space accordingly – anything up to half a metre apart.
It’s a good idea to put your support stakes in now instead of trying to work around them.
And make sure you include lots of well rotted manure or decent compost to feed it and then mulch to keep it moist and suppress weeds. They generally start blooming in July.
Final feed to Spring flowers
You can give a cheeky feed to all your remaining tulips and daffodils.
Although the majority of bulbs aren’t guaranteed to come back year after year any more, as long as you’ve left them to die back naturally there’s a good chance they’ll have stored enough energy to come back again. Tomato feed is fine.
Tie up climbers
Your clematis, honeysuckle and rambling roses should be well on their way by now – try to use plastic free string to tie them back into their support, or tuck them round each other to make sure they don’t sprout off in crazy directions.
Feed the lawn
It’s not too late to give your lawn a good feed.
Whether you use granular or liquid, it can give it a good boost to see it through the harsher summer months.
While mowing, don’t go too low with your cut length yet and never take more than a third off the grass height.
Get creative
It’s also time to get creative with hanging baskets and pots.
Trailing pelargoniums, which a lot of people call geraniums, and Begonias are a good, low cost way of getting lovely returning blooms throughout the summer in your baskets.
And pots can be planted with spring bulbs.
Don’t forget the greenhouse!
Give your greenhouse a good tidy and clean the glass inside and out.
The improved light will help plants grow quicker inside and tidying is good for the soul.
You can just use a household white wine vinegar and water solution – or even neat if you’re feeling spendy – which gives a really good shine.
