MAKE A GARDEN SLUG

What’s a ‘slug’? Well, in this case, says TINO CARNEVALE, it’s a cheap, portable garden bed or plantable border that looks a bit like a giant slug! Make it on any surface, and use it to control erosion, or as edging around beds or trees. Plant it up with whatever you like, although Tino finds that clumping or ground-covering plants, such as thyme, oregano and strawberries, work best.

YOU WILL NEED:

● 1.8m-wide hessian cloth (14 ounce) ● compost ● well-rotted manure ● sturdy twine ● knife ● plants

1 LAY out the hessian cloth on a fairly level piece of ground. Pin all the edges with a bunch of rocks or bricks to stop the cloth blowing away. Pile the compost and manure to one side of the centre of the cloth, starting and finishing about 1m from each end. Give the materials a good turn to thoroughly mix them together. 2 CUT twine into 1.8m lengths. Make holes in cloth 1.2m apart and 5cm in from long edge near the pile. Tie one end of twine securely through each hole. Fold the two sides inwards to cover edges of the pile.

3 FOLD the edge with the twine attached towards the centre to cover the pile, like wrapping a burrito. Make holes in the hessian on the other side of the pile, near the base, so they align with the twine.

Thread twine down through the holes, then fold the extra fabric over to reveal the end of the twine. Pull tight, and tie to secure the slug.

4 MOVE slug into position.

Pierce holes big enough for the root ball of each plant.

Wiggle plants in, then water.

Your slug should hold its form for about a year, but by then the plants should have taken over anyway.