Alan Titchmarsh says 'ruthless' slug control trick is 'only thing that stops them'

If there's a man who knows how to stop slugs attacking your plants, it's Alan Titchmarsh.

Over the years, the gardening legend says he's tried all manner of things to keep the slimy creatures away from his hostas, admitting they're capable of turning such plants into "origami" overnight.

And the 75-year-old is now sure there's only one thing that works "consistently" well.

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Writing in Country Life, he said of slugs: “They are not and never will be my friends. Yes, only four species attack our plants, but they’re the most common ones. And that means there are far too many.”

Autumn, like spring is a peak season for slugs, who love the wet, mild conditions. If the mild weather continues into winter, they can hang around for a while longer, too, much to the annoyance of gardeners.

Alan has tried using crushed eggshells, holly leaves, sharp grit, sheep’s wool, and even coffee grounds to deter slugs from his plants.

But he calls the old wives' tales “unreliable at best, useless at worst”. He's also ditched metaldehyde pellets, warning that they had "poisoned birds and hedgehogs."

He added: "I’d rather hear a song thrush cracking open a snail. That’s nature’s pest control.”

So what does work? Alan swears by copper rings pushed into the soil around each plant.

“Kept clean, they deliver a mild electric shock to any slug or snail trying to cross," he said. "It’s the only thing that consistently stops them.”

The rings only cost a couple of quid at most, and can be easily found online. In terms of installing the rings, when it comes to potted hostas, gardeners need to raise them on pot feet or bricks.

“Only the most athletic slugs can climb,” wrote Alan, who gave another tip, explaining people should avoid letting leaves touch nearby box hedges, where snails hide by day and raid by night.

Choosing the right variety helps too. Alan recommends ‘Devon Green’, ‘Halcyon’, and the slug-resistant ‘Alan Titchmarsh’, a variety named in his honour with creamy-centred green leaves.

Gardeners should also avoid thin-leaved types, such as the supposedly tough ‘Sum and Substance’, which apparently gets shredded in his borders. “The snails clearly didn’t get the memo,” he added.

With over 6,000 registered varieties, from giants such as ‘Jurassic Park’ to mini ‘Lemon Fizz’, there’s a hosta for every shady spot. And while they love damp soil, many green and blue-leaved kinds tough it out in drier conditions once established.