Following diligent reading of Huw's book [helpful advice from lots of you, thank you] I have upped my Slug Defence Measures. Along with the Slug Pub, I have added an Eggshell Border and a Grapefruit Igloo**. I have yet to see any slugs on the raised bed [the teetotallers are avoiding the pub, the vegans are avoiding the eggshells, and those on statin medications are avoiding the grapefruit]
The various salad crops are coming along a treat - and I'm able to harvest the bigger outer leaves. I was excited to see Monty Don advocating the Mustard 'Red Frills' variety. Yes, they do taste good! Every day we are having some of these salad leaves, or a few of the herbs from my little trough in the back garden with our meals.
And the correct name for a person who studies slugs is a malacologist?
**I am not sure if igloo is the correct spelling anymore, now we properly refer to Eskimos/Esquimaux as Inuits. I understand that the word iglu simply means house, so it can be made of ice or grapefruit skins. For more in this subject check out here
Loving your gardening posts! My attempts at growing salad leaves were thwarted by pigeons who dined on the seedlings even through wire netting. Hope you and Bob are feeling better now.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris - havent seen many pigeons. Hoping the birds dont discove rmy little plot! We are both feeling much better- waiting for tests & results was emotionally draining for both of us [and I wasnt the one having them!] Hope you, P & E are keeping OK
DeleteWhat is the reasoning behind the grapefruit? Glad you are enjoying your crops.
ReplyDeleteI took great delight in picking up a large orange slug, that was tucking into my spinach, in a cucumber leaf and flinging it over the fence.
I have NO IDEA what the reasoning is, but it is suggeste din Huws book, and I had two grapefruit halves so I tried it [and the little yellow iglus do look strangely cute. Perhaps I should stand playmobil figures next to them?! Who lives the other side of your fence, and will they appreciate an orange slug arriving?
DeleteThe railway line and lots of brambles so I think it doesn't mind!
DeleteThat's OK then!
DeleteCoffee grains, used, round plants will also deter slugs.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know. We drink a fair amount of coffee!
DeleteI love the iglu and playmobil figures next to it for Rosie's next visit please! Are you troubled by snails as well as slugs?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I have not seen any slugs near the raised bed [yet] although I found a few snails in the back garden climbing up the side of my little herb trough
DeleteYour slug deterrent measures are obviously overwhelming the little slimies. Good job keeping them out!
ReplyDeleteI will keep up the deterrent, even if I do not see any slugs
DeleteI bought Huw's book on your recommendation but didn't start until October so all I have in there is garlic and some very slow spinachl. I'm using a selection of large patio tubs as my 'raised bed', calling each tub 'a row'. Slugs; I pop the eggs when I find them, and then pick up any slugs I find and drop them into the council garden waste bin!
ReplyDeleteI only started in September. That is such an intelligent idea, to use each tub as a 'row' in Huw's system.
ReplyDeleteIf you are not seeing any slugs, pink or otherwise, I guess your deterrent system is working well! :)
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