Sir, – I was appalled at Fionnuala Fallon's suggestions for slug control (Magazine, May 3rd): "slicing them with secateurs" or "impaling with a knitting needle" and "dunking in boiling water".
Gardeners everywhere are managing to find alternative methods of dealing with slugs.Hardening off tender young plants and delaying planting, until they are tougher and more resilient, is one possibility; mulching with seaweed is another. Some gardeners have found success in providing a sacrificial patch to satisfy the slugs’ appetite.
Slugs and snails, along with earthworms, contribute to soil enhancement.
Gardeners should work with nature – not against it. – Yours, etc,
FRANCES LAWLER,
Westbrook Road,
Dundrum,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Slugs cannot abide broken eggshells or used coffee grounds. So please forgo the commando-style tactics against slugs and just take the route of recycling breakfast rubbish. – Yours, etc,
JAMES O’KEEFFE,
Stamer Street,
Dublin 8.