Yesterday, being my first day back home after 7 weeks on the east coast, was my catch up day. I started going through the mail, did a few loads of laundry, ran to Spooner Farms to buy flats of berries, made the HH’s favorite dish {homestyle chicken lasagna} and a strawberry shortcake for dessert…. and then, towards the end of the day I finally went outside to check on the garden.
While I was away, I gave the HH specific instructions on where and how to plant squash and cucumbers seeds. He did a wonderful job and so I was totally expecting to come home to 2 weeks worth of growth.
When I went out to find the veggie starts, I realized I forgot one small detail. Sluggo.
Yep. Those pesky slugs ate all but 2 plants. 1 zucchini and 1 butternut squash.
So now I’m 2 weeks behind in the squash growing department. 🙁
I suppose I could run down to the local nursery and see if they still have some plants in stock, but there is just something about growing your own food from seed that I adore. So last night I started round 2 of the squash and cucumber seeds.
With a little luck I’ll be able to set them out in the garden in about 2 weeks or so.
I suppose that will give Lucy and I plenty of time to pull all the weeds that sprouted up while we were away.
Keep calm and carry on…. that’s my motto.
Have a great Tuesday everyone,
~Mavis
Diana says
So how do you deal with the slugs, we have a big problem with them. I am sick of picking them in the evenings and the beer traps are helping only partially.
Mavis Butterfield says
I pick them out of the garden and then shake a bunch of Sluggo around the beds about once a month. I wish I would have thought to tell the HH. 🙁
Leslie says
So Sluggo is okay to put out if you have dogs?
Sharon@MLT says
Yep. Sluggo states that pets should not be in the area when you apply. I suppose so they don’t get it directly on them in a huge amount. But once applied, it’s fine. Their website has good info.
andrea says
A natural way to kill slugs is BEER! They love BEER, put a bowl of regular BEER, not flavored hipster crap, around Ur garden…use multiple if u need. Check the BEER bowls frequently. The slugs will go to drink the BEER and drown themselves, so there will b a bunch of dead slugs in the BEER bowl. I used ‘not your daddies root beer’ the slugs didn’t like it,but the ants sure did. Hope that helps.
Joanna says
I’ve read that it’s the yeast in the beer that slugs like, so non-alcoholic is good to use if you don’t want to waste the good stuff. 🙂
Diana says
We put beer, our weekly shopping list has beer for the slugs always but they still get to the plants.
Susan says
Mavis, I’m sorry about the slugs taking over in your absence. Knowing you, you will be back on track in no time.
Karin Carson says
My grandma used to grind up egg shells and use to make a barrier around her garden, they wouldn’t go over it as it was sharp and was good for the soil. She lived in Victoria BC where there was a gazillion of them.
Mavis Butterfield says
I’m going to try this!!
joanna b says
Why you prefer to start them in trays as opposed to outside? Right now the weather is warm enough for them to be sawn straight in the ground… I did cucumbers and zucchini 3 weeks ago, they took only 5 days to come out and are already climbing the trellis 😉
Mavis Butterfield says
I want to make sure the slugs are gone before I set seeds out so I decided to start them in trays. I’ll probably place them in the garden in 7-10 days.
Randi says
I caught the BIGGEST slug this morning in my lettuce bed. Aaargh! I’ve been doing the sluggo, egg shells and picking but living right on a heavily forested green belt it seems like a losing battle. Interesting the slugs would rather have my lovely baby lettuce or squash starts that a WHOLE FOREST full of greenery.
i wish i could have ducks in my neighborhood. i heard they really like slug snacks.
Heidi P says
I’m having a severe slug issue this year. Not sure why they are so much more prolific. Sluggo helped. May try the egg shells. I’ve left some of the seedlings with damage and I”m hoping they recover. It’s a total bummer to put in all the work and get no fruits for your labor but I guess that’s part of gardening/farming.
Ellen in Clackamas says
The hot weather we had a couple of weeks ago helped with the slimy things but now that the rains are back I know I am going to have to re-Sluggo the garden. But instead of slugs my problem is snails (which are really just slugs with houses!). We used to see them occasionally but now they are everywhere!! And I hardly ever see a slug. Anyone else have this issue?
Diane says
I read somewhere a while back that slugs, at least in the Pacific NW, have a major egg hatch in February, If you get some slug bait/repellent out during any good weather days in Feb. (if you HAVE any), the hatchlings are killed and the slug population through the rest of the year will be much less. I’ve done that for a couple of years now, and it seems to help. The only pesky variable is hoping that the rain or snow holds off long enough for the bait to do its job.