Heavy rainfall in recent times has caused a greater presence of snails and slugs than usual in many gardens, to the detriment of flowers and causing a frantic growth of the lawn, the environmental association said on Wednesday. Natuurpunt.
Since the beginning of October 2023, rain has been almost daily and the water table level is currently at a record for this time of year. “With a little warmth, these are dream conditions for slugs and snails,” explains the association in a press release. “These have been partying for several weeks: with more than 25 of them per square meter, they are attacking all the shoots”. They mainly target flowering plants and ignore grasses.
This means that most flowering plants do not have the opportunity to grow, while grasses are given free rein to run their course.
“The snails are still young, but in the following weeks they will become two to five times larger. And they will be even hungrier.” The Spanish slug, an invasive exotic species, seems to occupy a particularly important place in the current mass of snails and slugs, explains Natuurpunt. She advises anyone planning to grow a vegetable garden to be prepared.
