Veggie Growing Group

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Comment by Suzie Cahn on December 10, 2009 at 18:26

Slugs.... could write pages... but here's my advice for now. Three pronged: Reduce, Barriers, Traps.

Reduce the population especially in early spring:- ducks (best) or (next best) put a plank of wood over beds in spring and turn over each morning to let birds eat slugs when you see beetles under there you know you are winning as they eat slug eggs and babies. Pretty effective if you have the will:- go out at night with torch and bucket, also a sausage turning tweezer thing helps and gather them up - feed to birds in am. (Last and expensive) biological control -nematodes a wee worm that you get as a dried powder - put in watering can with water and water soil - they then eat slugs (from inside)

Barriers, wide non grassy paths between beds, moats (yes people do this some filled with salt water!) copper collars -works but must be thick and expensive then, half plastic bottles over vunerable young plants, powdered seaweed around plants acts as feed when rain washes in, dried crumbed egg shells, sharp sand.

Traps- works well if you renew regularly make sure not to entrances at surface level or you catch your friends the beetles.

Replacements - grow in large modules plant a plant not a seed where poss and have replacements ready if eaten.

hope that helps
Suzie

Comment by charlie easterfield on December 2, 2009 at 14:38

Those Shitake look fantastic! Can't wait to try some next year.... x

Comment by Tracey Jean Yappa on November 28, 2009 at 13:55

all the leaf plants are untroubled by slugs and shitake are lifted of ground to avoid slug attack

Comment by Tracey Jean Yappa on November 28, 2009 at 13:36

winter purslane /ruby chard

/new Zealand spinach/shitake mushroom currently growing

Comment by Sebastian Henschel on November 18, 2009 at 18:39

re: slugs
i was told to use seaweed to deter the slugs, preferably washed to reduce the salinity a little bit. dunno if it works, coz it was too late for our seeds this year. :(

Comment by Tom Larkin on October 29, 2009 at 7:33

Just started a small garden at home this year but it has been all for the slugs . . They have enjoyed, tender young lettuce; various flowers; parsley; and even the mint! I don't have any chance of having hedgehogs but need to take some drastic steps to protect the bed this year. It is a raised bed, against the back wall of our garden in town with a large vine growing on the wall. This could be part of the problem as there is plenty of slug hiding places in there. It is lawn up to the bed and I may need to seperate from the grass with a path of some sort - I have heard they can't get over gravel verey easily. Is this a good idea.

I intend to have some beer trap going but any advice on slugs would be great. We can get a list of tips and tricks to have in one place too which is where this group is such a good idea. I'm hoping to be growing in an allotment next year so I need to know how to beat them slugs

Help . .

Comment by Theresa on July 11, 2009 at 21:25

thank you, thank you, thank you! Now I'll just have to be careful not to break them Charlie!

Comment by charlie easterfield on July 11, 2009 at 17:39

Ah! Ye're not alone there, Theresa! What I liked about growing flowers and shrubs was just going by my besottedness, and what thrived stayed, what didn't, got composted....there seems to be more of the "chemistry" side to this veg growing!
As to the tomatoes,it's the wee yokes growing in the V between main stem and side shoot, that ye pinch out.And some of the lower leaves can be removed, to allow more light to ripening tomatoes.
This year I had spare space in my tunnel, and a new friend suggested bunging a tomato plant in the middle, newspaper and grass cuttings mulch, and leave it do it's thing. Which was to flop over, rooting all along the stem, sending up lots of shoots...no nipping out of side shoots, and overgrown bits can just be snipped back if need be. The variety was Broad Ripple Yellow Currant tomato..a small one which produces particularly well with this method....more or less 'til early December.... Can't wait!

Comment by Theresa on July 11, 2009 at 17:12

It's getting complicated now. Seeds and planting I can do. remembering what each crop needs along the way is very difficult for me. I know I have to pinch out side shoots on the tomatoes - is that every branch or just flowering bits at the stem?

Comment by JoeEnglish on June 29, 2009 at 21:47

Hi martin and all
I'm just into my first season of growing and at last its bearing fruit, or should I say lettuce and scallions so far. I found the prep work the hardest, but since begining of spring it only needs an hour a week to keep on top. I harvested some beetroot yesterday and am hoping to picle it, will let you know how I get on.
Joe

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