Keep snails, slugs and earwigs from damaging your dahlias by using natural methods.
I spoke to Steve Edney who is a garden consultant and head gardener. His family has been growing dahlias since generations. He only grows organically so all of his tips are chemical-free. Steve’s tips on growing and choosing dahlias can be found here.
He says, firstly that the goal of pest control today is balance and not elimination. We gardeners know we cannot get rid of all pests forever. The damage that they cause can be minimised.
It is equally true for gardening using or without chemicals. Slugs, snails, and earwigs are still going to be around, even if you spray with the most powerful chemicals.
He says that ‘it is all about balance’. It’s okay to have a few leaves or petals nibbled, as long as the overall look is pleasing.
Steve just finished a chemical-free dahlia garden for Canterbury Cathedral. This approach can be used by wildlife gardeners as well as those who have gardens that must withstand thousands of visitors. This video shows more of the Canterbury Cathedral and border.
Without chemicals, you can deter snails and slugs
Dahlias’ biggest pests are slugs and snails.
Steve has two natural methods for pest control. Steve recommends that you use sheep’s fleece or pellets of sheep’s hair around the dahlia’s base to discourage slugs.
Use them in thick layers to create a mat that is almost impenetrable. Once I used sheep’s-wool pellets. They were scattered thinly as I would have done with conventional slug pellets. This didn’t help. Wool pellets or wool must be used generously.
Wool will compost naturally and slowly into the soil, without harming it. The wool will improve the soil’s ability to hold water.
Steve recommends using wool caught on branches or fencing if you are in sheep-country. You could also buy raw wool from farmers or farm shops.
control of slugs, snails and slugs should begin early in the gardening season.
Leigh Hunt is the RHS Principal Horticultural Adviser. I spoke to him about gardening and biodiversity. The RHS does not classify snails or slugs anymore as pests because of their role in the garden. The slugs and snails help to break down compost piles and remove dead or dying leaves. Songbirds also eat snails and slugs. But not everyone will agree!
Slug pellets that are organically approved
Steve uses ferric phosphate pellets that are organically certified. Iron is the main ingredient. Slugs and snails will eat the iron and then stop eating. They won’t get hurt if birds or hedgehogs consume them.
I use pellets with iron phosphate. They are only used to protect young and small plants. Slug and snail damage seems to be less of an issue once plants reach a certain size.
You need to spread these out thinly, unlike with the sheep’s hair. Steve also says they must be moist to function properly. If the soil is too dry, you can water the area before or after scattering the pellets.
You will notice some leaves that have been nibbled when gardening without using chemicals. However, you won’t see them in the full border. There is some damage on the petals as well, though I’ve noticed it is mostly to the outer, older petals.
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Plant young plants in pots, until they are large enough to plant out
Stephen Ryan, a YouTube expert in plant growing and horticultureists.com is the source of this advice. The vulnerable plants are grown in pots, until they reach a size that allows them to withstand some damage from slugs and snails when they’re planted into the ground. These pots are also kept on the shelves of his house because snails and slugs will climb them but not often.
Stephen mixes snail and slug-resistant plants with the vulnerable ones. This can help slow them down. Stephen has some recommendations for snail- and slug-resistant plants.
Early and often, dead head dahlias
Steve recommends deadheading dahlias as soon as the outer petals begin to turn over. This is better than waiting until the entire flower dies and starts to become seed. This advice doesn’t entirely deal with pest control without chemical, but it is still helpful.
Slugs and snails can be very helpful in the vegetable garden. The snails and slugs ‘clean up’ old, decaying foliage. To reduce slugs, keep trimming the older outer leaves. Flower gardening is equivalent to dead heading when outer edges begin to sag.
What I use as a pesticide without chemicals
The brands I have tried are Vitax Slug Gone Natural Wool Pellets, Richard Jackson’s Slug and snail control, Neudorff slug and snail killer. The brands I have continued to use and buy are Vitax Slug-gone Natural Wool Pellets, Richard Jackson’s Slug and Snail Control and Neudorff Slug and Snail Killer. The active ingredient in both of these products is ferric phosphate.
When I am in the garden, I always keep a pair Darlac Snips by the door so I can regularly deadhead flowers.