Cowslips

I have all three natives Primrose, Cowslips and the hybrid Oxlips best time is after Spring flowering but honestly I’ve move all of them at different times of the season and the rarely fail as long as they don’t get too dry. I love them they have spread all around my garden and I split them and offer them to friends and family.

If they are quite little I would gently tease them out and put them into pots - either singly in small pots or several in a larger pot. Then put them in a shady place where they won’t dry out too much.
Then next year you can see which ones have survived and plant them out where you would like them to be.

I would lift them now, with the clump of earth they are growing in, so the delicate roots don't get disturbed. Plant them in the ground in part shade and keep watered this summer. They can establish well during the growing season.

The babies are probably seeding themselves in the path because it is clear of grass and has the ideal free draining surface for them to propagate.

If you want more babies in the new area, clear an area around your cowslips of grass, and sprinkle some sharp sand and earth mix. Then the seeds will fall after next Spring and you'll get lots of freebies.

Ohhh thanks ladies I ll do it soon, loads of little places I can put the babies just don’t want them trampled on by mistake

While I m here do you all have trouble with snails they drive me to drink, chewing on new leaves I hate killing things but they have got to go I bought some copper tape to put round pots supposed to give them a very mild shock must be very mild as I ve watched them crawling over it without a second thought so slug pellets I think I ll have to resort too I vevtried the egg shell routine and that doesn’t seem to make much difference This wet weather has brought them out in droves

Snails! we have plenty!! I only know because a few days ago I put some mixed bird seed with corn, outside back door for the peacock. He left quite a bit.

That evening I looked out and there was a snail party going on, loads of them had come to eat the corn, and a few slugs too. A good 50, and more the next night. You could do the same, then gather them all up quickly and take them for a one way trip in the car!!

Yes! We’ve been away for 3 weeks and I’m going through my outdoor plant pots.
Found about 10 so far!
I don’t like killing them either so I put them in the garden waste bin which the council collects and recycles. I assume they’ll eventually die during the compost making process but at least until then they’ll have been able to have a good feast

No car seacliffe don’t fancy taking them for a walk??
I guess the compost bin is good enough but they ve stripped some plants over night and it’s blooming annoying

I put snails and slugs on the bird table and the crows make short work of them.

It's a constant battle with snails here. I even put slug pellets on the clipped box bushes and hoards of snails have come out to eat them. Many sails live in shrubs. I step on every snail I can find, no mercy.

It is isn’t it Springy, when Jane said she found 10 I think I find that in one pot! They are the bane of my gardening life ( those and pooing neighbours cats ) I must have the wrong plants I think

I second all the advice already proffered here. Cowslips are lovely, as they've seeded themselves and are a native wild flower I'd imagine they'd be pretty hardy and they'll probably thrive.

I came close to a very nasty accident via a snail a few days ago. I have a steep front doorstep with a lip, so you can't see what is directly underneath. I stepped down into invisible snail slime which is incredibly slippery, and felt myself sliding, feet forward and the rest of me backwards. Just managed to right myself, but scary.

I am outside first thing in the morning with an old tweezers, some kitchen roll and a polythene sandwich bag. Snails and slugs get picked up with the tweezers, put in the kitchen roll, into the plastic bag and into the domestic waste bin. No mercy! Through the next couple of weeks the amount collected will get less and less if previous years are anything to go by. I do put slug pellets down when I first plant up the borders but by collecting the menaces I rarely need to put a second lot down unless it rains. Hope that helps.

If you don't want to hurt them - Maybe if you feed them enough corn and bird seed, they won't eat your plants?!!

They are like young children suddenly all the training fits into place. Always remember dogs love to please there master so you can keep teaching them different things through most of there life.

Yes pesky slugs are every gardener's headache. I find a mix of flour and water in a dish half buried in the border works a treat. They are drawn to the yeast, its safe to other wildlife/dogs/cats, just needs replacing every couple of days. Really cheap as well.

I've never managed to train a slug or snail, Tessa, or get my dog to do it, think you're on the wrong thread!

I have a big area of common land just across the road from my house. I’m a big softy when it comes to killing things. I even rescue stranded worms from the pavement when I see them. My slugs and snails are all repatriated to the Common, but I have a feeling that some of them sneak back again. Does anyone know a way to put an identification mark on them, to check my theory?

Lager in a saucer. They can't resist and drown in it. What a way to go though ! ?

Slugs and snails will not cross over a holly leaf, free and safe deterrents.

I can't kill anything. I collect snails & slugs (hate the stripey Spanish ones) and store them in plastic tug (punch holes in lid). My DH then takes them when he goes walking and releases them in a suitable place. Done this for many years but they keep coming. When we lived in our old house I thought it would be a good idea to release some 'the other side of the river' as we set off on holiday. However, they were forgotten until we got 200m away (Oxfordshire) so had to set them down on a grassy verge there (sorry for historic increase in your problem if you live in that county).

tug tub

Beer traps!

You can get them ready made in garden centres/Amazon, or the internet is full of easy cheap tips to make your own.

They work really well!