From NICHOLAS ALBERY
There are better pesticide-free ways of keeping slugs from the garden than
scooping them up at night with a dessert spoon (Forum, 10 July).
In The Book of Visions (Virgin, 1993), which I edited, Robert Hart describes
his Forest Garden, where slugs are kept at bay through keeping the soil
predominantly alkaline (lime, which tickles their sensitive tummies, which
they don’t like, wood-ash, soot and liquid seaweed), using strong-smelling
mints, tansy and balm which they also dislike, and protecting seedlings and
transplants with a herbal mulch consisting of aromatic plants and conifer
twigs spread between the rows.
Nicholas Albery
Institute for Social Inventions
London
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See also ‘The killing fields (and gardens) – an ‘organic’ alternative’ by
Jeremy Cherfas in ‘Slugs, snails and scientists’ tales’, New Scientist, 22
July 1988 – Ed
