Gardener reveals the simple hack to get rid of slugs and snails - not salt or egg shells

Sick of finding that your beloved garden plants and leaves have been eaten by unwanted guests? A expert has revealed that there's one kitchen staple that can act as a powerful tool to keep and snails out of your garden. These small creatures hate the smell and texture of coffee grounds, making them an effective and affordable

Founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk, Chris Bonnett, said: "Like eggshells, coffee grounds can also enrich the soil as they decompose."

All you have to do is sprinkle them around the plants and the smell and feel of the gritty coffee ground will quickly make them crawl away.

Not only will the coffee grounds act as a natural deterrent, it will also enrich the soil.

Coffee grounds can act as a fertiliser as they are rich in nutrients and particularly nitrogen in addition to potassium and phosphorous.

Other natural deterrents mentioned by the gardening expert include using salt, egg shells or even sand.

These create uncomfortable environments for the slugs or snails that they won't want to stick around for long after experiencing any of these harsh and gritty textures.

Eggshells and sand irritate their soft bodies, while salt dehydrates them.

Salt can also dehydrate your plants, however, so make sure you don't put any directly on them.

These simple, chemical-free methods help protect your garden without harming the environment and will cost you less than 1 pound.