You can keep slugs, snails and earwigs away from your dahlias without chemicals.
Firstly, he says that pest control is now about balance not eradication. As gardeners, we know that we can’t get rid of pests permanently. We can only minimise the damage they do.
This applies both to gardening without chemicals and gardening with. Even if you use the fiercest spray you can buy, the slugs, snails and earwigs will ultimately be back.
So ‘it’s about balance,’ he says. You will get a few nibbled leaves and petals, but you can achieve a beautiful overall effect without every flower having to be perfect.
Steve has just created a dahlia border for Canterbury Cathedral, using chemical-free gardening. So this approach is not just for wildlife gardeners but also for those whose gardens have to withstand the scrutiny of thousands of visitors. You can see more views of the border and of Canterbury Cathedral in this video.