Deirdre O Meara 
As the weather warms up and we spend more time outside, one of the biggest frustrations of gardening can be the invasion of slugs. These slimy creatures can ruin all the hard work you’ve put into your garden by munching on your plants and leaving holes in the leaves. But fear not, as one savvy woman has come up with a cheap solution to make this a problem of the past – and it costs just £1.
Kels, a gardening guru, revealed how beer has been her “go-to” method “for years.” Sharing her top tip in a video posted to TikTok, she begins: “We are starting to have a slug problem – so time to fix it. “We’re going to put some dishes ground level in the beds. “We do use beer – so time to crack a beer and pour it in the dishes. “We’ll change this every few days to see what we get.”
It wasn’t long before the post racked up a whopping 205k views and several comments, with many confirming beer had previously worked for them, too. “This works!! I did it last year,” wrote one. A second penned: “Did that for my strawberry plants and wow I caught so many lol.” Elsewhere, others shared the alternative methods they use instead. “Do you guys put coffee grounds on the ground or in your planters? Slugs don’t like caffeine and has worked for me!” commented one. A second noted: “Epson Salt also works.” A third added: “I have an earwig problem so I do the same but I use half oil, half soy sauce & a little anchovy paste.”
While beer may seem like an unusual solution to slug invasions, it turns out that slugs are attracted to the yeast in beer. They will crawl into the dish and drown, leaving your plants free from the damage caused by these pesky creatures. Plus, it’s a cheap and easy solution that can be done with items you likely have on hand.
If you’re looking to try out this method for yourself, simply place small dishes or containers filled with beer around your garden, near the plants that are being affected. You can use any type of beer, but it’s recommended to use a cheap brand as the slugs won’t be able to tell the difference. Change the beer every few days to ensure it stays fresh and effective.
Of course, this isn’t the only solution to slug problems. As mentioned by other TikTok users, coffee grounds and Epson Salt can also be effective at keeping slugs away. Additionally, you can try placing copper tape around the edges of your planters or beds. Slugs receive a small electric shock when they come into contact with copper, so they will avoid crossing it.
If you’re looking for a chemical-free solution, there are also a variety of plants that slugs don’t like, such as lavender, rosemary, and mint. By planting these around your garden, you may be able to deter slugs from coming near your other plants.
In the end, the best solution for your garden will depend on a variety of factors, such as the types of plants you have and the severity of the slug problem. But with these simple and affordable solutions, you can keep your garden looking beautiful all summer long, without having to worry about pesky slugs ruining all your hard work.
