There are 24 different species of slug in Britain, about half of which can be found in the garden. Most slugs eat decaying vegetation, but readily switch to young or delicate plants, feeding on the leaves, stems, roots and tubers. They evolved from snails and in the course of doing so lost all, or most of their shell....

The Hedgehog Method:
Hedgehogs are predators of slugs so you need to attract them into the garden. At night time lay out dog food, which they love to eat - don't use bread or milk because it's bad for them. Once we've got them into the garden we need to keep them, so provide them with a water-proof box, about 18 inches long and 12 inches deep, fill it with straw so it's nice and snug, make it waterproof and hide it by covering it with leaves. Then the hedgehog can live in there. You'll not only get rid of pests, but, if you have children, they'll be delighted.

The Trench Method:
To encourage ground and rover beetles. Dig a trench about six inches deep and three inches across, and then line it with pebbles and Perspex edges. Beetles, which are a predator of slugs, will fall into the trench and can hide under the pebbles, which will protect them from birds. When the slug falls in, the beetle will have his dinner.

Parasitic nematodes
(Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) are available from Defenders Limited (01233 813121). These must be applied to the soil in solution. Be sure to follow the pack instructions. Treatment should be done in a block and the soil temperature must be above 5 degrees C.

Vermiculite
Vermiculite, which is normally a compost addition, and this is an interesting product because as it swells up with water - and we all know slugs love water - it actually moves which the slugs dislike. We've found vermiculite to be 90% effective as a control; we put it around the base of a plant in a ring. It's particularly good for plants that love water.

Gravel
The only gravel that works as a barrier is the crushed form because it has very sharp edges our favour is horticultural grit 4 -8 mm.

Bark
Bark has a downside that in wet weather it can help the slugs travel to your plants. However in a dry season using a coarse bark made from large pieces is difficult for the slugs to move through because it becomes very dry.

The Beer Trap Method:
This is quite a traditional technique. All you need is a jar, put it on its side with a small amount of alcoholic beverage in it, and when slugs come along they'll drown in it. It's very simple, it's effective, and you don't need the whole can either.

Black plastic bag method
If you have a slug attack in one area in your garden this is a quick method to reduce the numbers . Take one black bin liner place on the ground in between your tender plants, then place two lettuce which are well pass there sales date. Finally add two tea cups of breakfast bran and pour a cup full of beer (bitter is best) over the lettuce. Leave over night with the top open and check in the morning, the slug should have climbed into the bag over night and as the sun raises in the morning taken shelter in the bottom of the bag, ready to be removed from your garden.

Slug X
This is a slug trap that has been developed over a two-year period, using trials with cardboard boxes before the final plastic prototype was manufactured. The gardenAdvice team presently have these traps under trial. More details can be found at www.westfield-products.co.uk