Gardening resources and tips, etc.

[Suffs Profile]

I've just been out there and got another 20+ .... .... I found a large frog sitting blinking under a hardy geranium, surrounded by Spanish slugs and looking totally overwhelmed.

[herbidacious Profile]

I will have to look up Spanish slugs. I've had a lot of slugs in my garden this year, and I also have a lot of toads. It's been slug and snail weather for a rather larger pecnetage of the summer than usual... Snails have been rampant too. Several attempts at peas were decimated. (I resorted to putting a tub of them in the greenhouse, but I know there is a snail in there somewhere.)

Three of my very thick sunflower stems were eaten right through by gastropods, as was a hollyhock stem.

Another sunflower head was swiped by a squirrel this morning.

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[Suffs Profile]

Sadly the information is that frogs, toads and hedgehogs do not eat Spanish slugs. They are also not susceptible to the nematodes many of us use to control slugs in our gardens. Regular slug patrols equipped with secateurs seem to be the best way.

[slimpersoninside Profile]

That's a lovely looking Sunflower Herbie....or at least it was!

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Spanish slugs. Do they make your plants olé?

[herbidacious Profile]

That's a lovely looking Sunflower Herbie....or at least it was!

It was. But the squirrel almost left a work of art behind ; )


I am still not sure I could recognize a Spanish slug. I tend to put slugs and snails in the brown recycling bin (death down the line.) I do also kill them myself sometimes, but not keen on doing it. I found one small snail in the greenhouse. It must have thought it was in paradise. I am fairly sure there is another tiny one somewhere. Not doing enough damage to worry about though. I am getting a bit of mildew in there on my courgettes. I am spraying leaves, but I suppose in the end it will win.
Can kale get it?
I need to plant my kale out... I suppose I should sort of harden it off.

edit: yes it can. I'll put it outside. There is mildew out there too, but less humidity.

[herbidacious Profile]

Ooh I have bought a Wineberry plant. Has anyone else grown this? It's very thorny. I need to think carefully about where I put it. I hope it's not too rampant.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Really good article on Spanish slugs, apparently now is the time to get rid of them as it’s the egg laying sea son

https://sciencenordic.com/denmark-garde ... gs/1420123

[Suffs Profile]

That's helpful Sue, thanks ....

More info from our neighbours up the road here https://www.jic.ac.uk/research-impact/t ... nish-slug/

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

on the subject of slugs, I have had 2 dahlias just decimated, leaving just a skeleton of leaf ribs behind, as well as lots of my other plants too .. I think it must also be slugs that are causing my clematis to turn brown that I don't think is wilt.

I was at a meeting of my local wildlife rescue last night. Slugs were mentioned and my remark about executing them with secateurs was not favourable received. Most of the committee is vegetarian and some even vegan. When I then asked how they would deal with slugs on their cabbages, the answer was let the slugs have them and buy them instead

[herbidacious Profile]

Yes I get a lot of that on a gardening group on FB. That and people flying into a rage about people calling things weeds (they are wild flowers), and protesting when people suggest the removal of highly invasive imported species. There was some woman who said she had a garden full of brambles because it was good for wildlife. Well it may be, but diversity is pretty important too.

To me, a weed is anything that's invasive and chokes other things out, which I didn't put there and which I am not keen on. I have some rather underwhelming geraniums that meet this criterion. So far the corncockles don't count as such.


I think it's ok to live and let live up to a point but only up to a point. Don't they even pick the slugs off, Pat? If it's slugs getting your dahlias you will see slime. Leaf cutter bees had a good go at mine last year.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Oh dear, Pat. What if the farmers and market gardeners who grow the cabbages we buy followed that ethos? You could ask next time.

I didn't know about Spanish slugs before. Where's Priti Patel when you need her? . Since I planted dwarf mulberry 'bushes' the entire local slug and snail community seems to have taken up residence in them. They don't eat anything obvious and we all live in harmony. Long may it last. Beer traps with real ale worked before- they didn't like cheaper stuff. Perhaps Spanish slugs prefer Rioja or Sangria.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Oh dear, Pat. What if the farmers and market gardeners who grow the cabbages we buy followed that ethos? You could ask next time.

I didn't know about Spanish slugs before. Where's Priti Patel when you need her? . Since I planted dwarf mulberry 'bushes' the entire local slug and snail community seems to have taken up residence in them. They don't eat anything obvious and we all live in harmony. Long may it last. Beer traps with real ale worked before- they didn't like cheaper stuff. Perhaps Spanish slugs prefer Rioja or Sangria.

Priti shoul ddefinitely get on their case

Perhaps they'd like San Miguel or Estrella Damm?

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Yes I get a lot of that on a gardening group on FB. That and people flying into a rage about people calling things weeds (they are wild flowers), and protesting when people suggest the removal of highly invasive imported species. There was some woman who said she had a garden full of brambles because it was good for wildlife. Well it may be, but diversity is pretty important too.

I think it's ok to live and let live up to a point but only up to a point. Don't they even pick the slugs off, Pat? If it's slugs getting your dahlias you will see slime. Leaf cutter bees had a good go at mine last year.

Yes, definitely slugs on the dahlias ....when I can get access to my emails, I will put a photo on here.

As far as I know, leaf cutter bees, don't decimate a plant and don't do irreparable damage... it just doesn't look that nice. I have leaf cutters in a couple of bee houses so plenty of my plants are used for their food - roses being a favourite

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

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The skeletal stalks just about visible is all that's left of my 2 dahlias ... I did get 1 puny little flower on the left hand one

[liketocook Profile]

Been fighting a battle with grey mould on my toms today there's signs of blight. Tomato rescue mission now underway just four plants to go after I've cooled down a bit as it's roasting in the greenhouse. Conservatory is now laden with trays of semi ripe and green tomatoes

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

And still the tomatoes come... I'm wondering if the polycarbonate traps a bit more warmth? Far more than ever before.
hub is looking into solar heating in there. We have 3 heated seed trays run from mains, but solar would be better. I must sow late herbs tomorrow.
No sign of slugs, spanish or otherwise.

[herbidacious Profile]

I'd be interested to hear what he discovers about solar heating....

[liketocook Profile]

No sign of any slugs or snails in mine just a massive spider! Greenhouse has been cleared of tomatoes but as a consolation the cucumber is having a second lease of life.

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

I'd be interested to hear what he discovers about solar heating....

Of course, herbi. Our summerhouse is all powered by solar (heat, light etc) but we'd want background heat in the greenhouse, just to take the chill off in spring. He's good at doing the research, just not good at things which require physical exertion at the moment. However, if it doesn't happen in time, we still have the 3 heated trays run from mains. They did a good job this year. Wonder if that's why my toms began to ripen early?

I have been diligently earthing up my potatoes for Christmas. I have one more sack to plant and am wondering if it's now too late. It's 3 weeks since I did my first ones. I hope to move them into the greenhouse in October.
Another job for me (and maybe hub, if it's not too tiring) is trimming the lavender and taking geranium cuttings.