24-05-2025
I'm a gardening expert – why using a kale leaf is a key DIY hack to keeping pests out of your gardens this summer
SUMMER is the perfect for enjoying your garden - but it's also when unwanted pests start to show up.
However, former royal gardener Jack Stooks has revealed there are some very simple tricks to keep them at bay, including using a kale leaf.
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Speaking to SEO experts at Big Fat Links, King Charles' former employee has revealed his natural methods that are safe for plants, pets, and people.
According to Jack - who worked his gardening magic at Highgrove for over two decades - these easy hacks will keep it pest-free throughout the growing season…
1. Kale leaves
Jack shared how a 'useful and cost-effective way of getting rid of slugs is to use kale leaves.
Alternatively if you've got any cabbage, brussel sprouts, or anything similar growing in the garden, you can use the leaves off of the bases of those.
So you're not wasting anything, you're using leaves that you wouldn't use anyway.
The former royal gardener explained: 'You put those onto the surface of the soil in areas where you know slugs are coming.
'And then you put a tile or a sort of large flattish rock over the leaf.
'Then in the early morning you go and you pick up the stone and the leaf will normally be covered with slugs - big and small.
'You can then either get rid of that leaf or obviously pick them all off and, and pop them in compost or use them as animal feed.'
Keep It Clean: How to stop pests from taking over this summer
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2. Torch light
Another hack doesn't cost a penny but may take some time.
Jack explained: 'At night, another good hack is to go round and look for pests with a torch. 'So you simply go out with a torch and just hand-pick them.
'Slugs and snails are usually good ones to go out and remove.'
3. Beer/yeast traps
Another way to hinder pesky slugs is using a beer trap, also known as a yeast trap.
King Charles' former gardener shared: 'You simply put a glass jar into the soil, making sure that it's ground level.
'Then you put a little bit of beer into it (usually around a quarter of a jar).
'You can then cover it with a rock to stop any bigger animals like mice or similar from going inside.
'Slugs will tend to go in, through the sides, as well as snails.'
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4. Soap spray
Jack also suggested that you make a soap spray to get rid of pests on flowers such as roses.
He added: 'Now is probably the perfect time to be doing this as well.
'For the mixture, you simply mix soap with water, and pop it into a little sprayer.
'Then you can just spray it onto the plants of choice.'
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5. Garlic spray
His final tip was to make a spray using garlic.
Jack explained: 'For this, you mix garlic and water to make the mixture.
'If you have any rabbits or similar types of animals that are eating your herbs and other things in your garden, you can spray this garlic spray over the plants which usually works to deter animals from said plant or flowers.'
