BEWARE MOLLUSCS

AS SPRING approaches, snails and slugs will become increasingly damaging, especially to young shoots.

Take action against dormant snails and slugs now. Seek out hibernation spots and deal with any that you find. Look between pots or under containers and even below low-lying foliage. Beware, too, of hungry molluscs in greenhouses. The damage a single snail can do in one night to a tray of seedlings is appalling.

As soon as soil temperatures rise above 5c or 6c, you can control molluscs with nematode preparations such as Nemaslug. So order yours when conditions are suitable, then apply them promptly.