Carrots V Slugs

So far this year I've sown 2 lots of carrot seeds; 2 different types nearly a month apart.

How many have germinated?

Who knows?

The slugs have eaten them all before they even popped their heads up. 

I made sure the seed was new, as carrot seed doesn't keep.

A different approach was needed and as I don't kill slugs, I needed to be a bit sly.

Luckily I have a couple of big containers that have been cluttering up a shed for rather longer than I care to admit. The other container's a long tin bath.

Some copper tape around the bottom helps to put off the slugs. I suspect the metal the container's made of may also put off the slugs - it's thought to be a small electrical current they don't like, like tinfoil on a filling.

The container height will help prevent carrot fly attacking the crop as the soil level is over 6ins above the ground. 

I have high hopes for this garden soil filled bath - I just hope there are no slugs lurking in the soil I've used!

I'll fill the other one soon, but first I need to buy some more copper tape.

NOT CHEAP; THIS GARDENING LARK!

Oh How It Rains

I've rushed over to the Plot. 


Why??


Because IT"S RAINING - like mad. It started at teatime yesterday with THUNDER and LIGHTENING right over head, and has barely let up since.

Today, wrapped up in my cagoule, I needed to check on last nights slug activity and make sure my defences are working.


The copper bands on the legs of the tables seem to be working, as do the ISLANDS of SEED TRAYS I've placed on bricks in my deeps boxes of water.


Mind you, I've hardly seen any slugs yet this year as it's early yet and has been so hot and dry. Today I picked off one HUMBUG SNAIL from my table of seedlings. It may have been dozing on the underside of one of the trays when I pressed it into service. It's now in a derelict garden where it can have an all you can eat diet without anyone being upset by it. 


If you're having rain, check for slugs. 
And please - DON'T USE SLUG PELLETS!

Planting To Beat The Slugs Saturday 9.10.11

After the success of yesterday, the planting of the peas and beans, I've decided to expend some effort in SLUG DEFENCES.

I've decided to BEAT THE SLUGS next year. I've bought copper banding and intend to plant all seedlings in pots on top of picnic tables. I've got two, which means wrapping the tape around each of the 8 legs, this'll be cheaper than wrapping it around masses of individual pots and trays. The theory is that slugs get a small electric shock from copper, which prevents them crossing it and reaching the plants.

Mine has these points on it, another reason for the Slugs to go somewhere else.

This CABBAGE has been completely unslugged! That's a first.

My other plans are to put in as many plants and seeds as possible at this end of the year, because I have more time and there are less slugs about. The other strategy is to surround susceptible plants with stuff like sand, soot, ground coffee.

I'm going to keep an eye open for other tactics to help me beat the little blighters.

Planting Up Friday 16.4.10

A customer needed her perennial beds thinned. She was happy for me to have the thinnings, rather than compost them.

I prepped a bed. Amazingly, this part of the garden plot was not full of pernicious roots. In 3 hours it was turned, and weeded. There were a fair few Nettle roots to be hooked out.

  All planted and watered.

There were remnants of a stone edging here, so I replaced them. Very kitch and a great place for slugs to hang out.