Garden!

[juliet]

The garden likes the nice weather. One of the sweetcorn I planted last week has germinated, as have a couple of the rocket seeds I planted for kitty_goth, & some of the basil. The raspberry/blackberry canes are doing pretty well, as well, and the carrots are growing nicely (hurrah, carrots!). Planted some more rocket last night - last year's survivors are still growing fine, but we clearly need more. Mmm rocket. And the grape vine is growing once again, so Chateau Bermondsey is back in operation...

However, I appear to have a Slug Problem (they are eating the carrots, a bit, & I think they may have munched a basil seedling or two). Am not sure what to do about this - don't want to kill them, just want them not to eat my lovely veg! Contemplating some kind of mesh over the pots, so the plants can grow through but the slugs can't get at 'em. Any suggestions/comments?

In other garden-related news, Pete & I have just finally found a use for the 50quid his parents gave us as a moving-in gift last year. Deckchairs!

marnameow & sbp came round yesterday evening, & we sat in the garden with beer, and Pete and Marna made spicy potato wedges, and pasta salad (inc some of the fresh rocket), & we ate it sat out on the Yellow Blanket on the decking, & it was all v fine. I like summer, and I like neighbours.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Encircle your plants in a barrier of salt.

[juliet]

Will that discourage them from crossing it, or they try & then wind up dead? I do not fancy coming out to find salted slugs all over the place...

[weatherpixie.livejournal.com]

They don't like crawling over bumpy stuff, so try gravel/stones round the edibles.

I've also heard of people using copper wire, because apparently slugs don't like it.

Beer and salt also work, but you end up with dead slugs.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

They crawl onto it a couple of mm, and then decide "this sucks" and go back again. Unless they're particularly stupid slugs. They only die if you tip it on them.

[juliet]

Splendid. I shall give that a bash before forking out on copper wire, then.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

< feynman> Maplins £3.99 < /feynman>

[juliet]

except Pete has just pointed out that the salt will wash away (into the soil) when it rains. So it might actually come more expensive, with the replacing; and would I think be bad for the soil. So copper it is... cheers!

[al-bullit.livejournal.com]

My parents use sharp gravel (quite small stuff) ound plants to fend off slugs. It appears to work and looks pretty too.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

http://www.queenswood.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html?http%3A//www.queenswood.co.uk/acatalog/Queenswood_Online_Animal_Deterrents_36.html&CatalogBody

Slug Stoppa Tape (bottom of page)

[juliet]

ta! Looking like this is the best bet, in fact.

[catsgomiaow.livejournal.com]

hmmm there is the thing with planting plastic cups full of BEER which the slugs fall into and die happy, but i've never really fancied a) actually killing them like and b) disposing of plastic cups full of stale beer and rotting slugs...

how about surrounding the plants with POINTY things (i believe that eggshells are the done thing, not v vegan though - i'd suggest finding a vandalised bus stop and nicking the shattered glass mebbe, there are always plenty of those about, grr young people today ect) - the slugs don't like crawling on sharp pointy things.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

For heaven's sake, they're slugs! Next you'll be telling me you can't go in a car because it squashes midges, and while we're on the subject what do you do about clothes moths?

[hieroglyphe.livejournal.com]

I found some fabulous lurid plastic patterned deckchair and foldout table sets in Wilko - unfortunately I can't afford it, nor do I have a garden/patio/balcony to put them out in anyway!

[the23.livejournal.com]

kill them with beer!