My heart sank as I approached the shallow purple basin under the water butt tap ...I usually have this full of water from the water butt for any passing thirsty wild animals or birds , also to easily scoop small amounts of water for the plants in the greenhouse behind it .It also catches any odd splashes so there is no wasted water .
We,ve not had any rain for a very long time now and the water butt is empty ... I thought I,d stand these little pots ,trays and flats of seedlings in the remaining pool of water ....alas ....a rare snail ..one that can swim ..has got over and eaten pretty much all my Romaine cos lettuces . Sigh ! I couldn't find him .... he must have swum out again .
I planted out about ten of the remaining lettuces and a few of the Basil plants I,ve grown . I,ve always grown Basil on my kitchen windowsill and there, it always ends up getting greenfly . So recently I discovered that you are meant to plant it out .
Oh dear ! It looks so tender and fragile !
I have scattered horticultural sharp grit around the plants and also a very , very few slug pellets . I always put covers over or around these areas to prevent hedgehogs or birds eating them . I have used every method there is out there, to deter snails and slugs .
The best method I find , is to put a good amount of sharp grit or sand down around the plants , as slugs and snails dont like to slide across it . Horticultural sharp grit is SO expensive , I need to save that for my precious cacti and alpine plants . I need to go and replenish my sand supply .
I pick them off myself , during the day , but have never gone out in the night with a torch , as I have often heard suggested .
But wait a minute ....." What's that ? " I hear you say .
Aah ! That is my new secret weapon ! The latest bargain charity shop find !
It is the Luminous Lizard !
Yes ! He glows in the dark ! When the snails and slugs think it is safe to come out !
....... I hope they see him and run away !
I also have a snake , to scare cats away .
Still waiting for rain.
Have fun in your garden today !
I have tried everything to deter the wretched slugs, and I find that egg shells are good, nice and sharp so the slugs don't want to crawl over.
ReplyDeleteYep ..crushed egg shells are also waiting in a little dish beside the kitchen sink....but there's never enough ! : )
DeleteJust been enjoying catching up with your lovely garden, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI once had the perfect eco-friendly solution to the slugs and snails problem - a four-year-old who would happily spend hours searching for them and collecting them in a bucket. We then took them for a walk and released them into the wild well away from gardens. Unfortunately, she grew into a five-year-old who suddenly decided such things were 'yukky' and refused to even go near them again.
LOL ! Excellent , yes I have done that before too . Snails , not too bad , but slugs are very ,very yukky ! Time to offer " pocket money " perhaps ? :)
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