Q: I have an annual battle with slugs and snails which try to attack my strawberry and runner bean plants.

I would rather not use slug peelets, since I've heard that the "bait" part tends to outlive the poison, meaning you end up attracting even more slugs in. I've considered beer traps but with the amount of rain we've had recently I can imagine these would simply overflow, and would anyway be a waste of beer.

Can you suggest any other organic solutions that I can try?

BW via email

A: You could use copper tape around containers and raised beds as slugs wont cross that. Spent ground coffee beans are a good deterrent. Crushed egg shells and sharp sand help. They don't like the smell of garlic so its worth growing some around the runner beans.

Q: I need to transplant my chives to a new part of the garden, but they are in flower at the moment. Should I wait? ME, Abergavenny

A: Chives are so pretty in flower I would be loath to move them now and they prefer to be moved later in the year.

Q: What’s the best mulch for keeping weeds down? GJ, Newport

A: You can buy fabric on a roll usually called weed stop. The woven plastic type is best. Its unsightly so you need to cover it with bark or chippings.

Q: I occasionally have frogs visiting the garden, which my son loves. How can I encourage them to keep coming back? LJ, Cwmbran

A: Frogs and toads need shelter from predators and the elements and somewhere to hibernate in the winter. They like to hide in rocks or under logs in shady areas. Avoid using chemicals in the garden.

Tips for the week:.

With the warm wet weather it is an ideal time to plant or move shrubs in the garden. If you are moving a plant in the garden give the foliage a trim and keep well watered for the next couple of months.

Feed and water plants in containers.

Prune shrubs that have finished flowering for this year.

DO YOU have a question for our Garden Guru? Email maria.williams@southwalesargus.co.uk, tweet @ArgusMWilliams, leave a message on the Argus Facebook page, or write to Garden Guru, Newsdesk, South Wales Argus, Cardiff Road, Newport NP20 3QN