National Trust gardeners say it has been a poor season for growing squashes and pumpkins.
Pumpkin harvests have been branded as "abysmal" due to an "army of slugs" and dreary weather, National Trust gardeners have said.
September's cold and wet weather caused lots of the plants to stop growing, according to the National Trust.Andrew Hunt, head gardener at Kingston Lacy, said pumpkins needed a long, hot growing season to do well."Unfortunately, we had a cold and prolonged spring, which meant that germination took place later than normal and then the cooler and wetter conditions over the summer really haven't helped," he added.
Paul Dibb, the property's garden and outdoors manager, said: "The wet spring and early summer has resulted in an army of slugs attacking the young plants we grew and planted out.Gardeners at the National Trust reported reduced squash and pumpkin crops ahead of Halloween Rebecca Bevan, plant health and sustainability consultant at the National Trust, advised placing copper tape around pots and using a mulch of gravel, wood shavings or sharp sand to try and keep slugs and snails at bay.Some National Trust properties use pumpkins and squashes for special seasonal displays
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