Year of the Slug

2012 was a washout for gardeners but perfect for pests - says an article in the Daily Mail.

"For gardeners, 2012 has been a sorry, soggy affair, with rain wreaking havoc in vegetable patches and flower beds.  However, it's been an annus mirabilis ... for slugs.  The wettest summer in a century created the perfect conditions for the unwanted garden visitors.  One particular winner has been the Spanish super slug - larger than our native variety, and more worryingly, a much faster breeder.  A year that switched from a hosepipe ban in the warmest March since 1910 to the rainiest April on record has been a nightmare for gardeners.

Downpours washed away the year's fruit blossoms and devastated the autumn harvest, especially of English apples and late berries such as sloes and holly.  Poor insect numbers have left flowers struggling to bear fruit in the wet weather, with a knock-on effect for birds and animals that depend on them for food.  In general, plants and slugs were the big winners and insects the big losers.  They will need a good summer to recover.  Our gardeners will also need some long, dry spells in 2013 to help get rid of the slugs, which aren't too fond of droughts.  The success of the Spanish super slug is that they are very fast breeders, and as they come from further south, are more resistant to dry weather."