In the late evening of spring, when twilight stretches its blue-purple sky over us into the hours of the kids’ bedtime routine, when it feels like summer could be just around the corner, but we’re too easily chilled to walk outside without long sleeves, I sneak out. Even the dog doesn’t hear me leave.
I’m also in the PNW and while I’m not gardening this year I have done so off and on for over 30 years. If you don’t want to kill them I can tell you copper tape works well if you have raised beds or containers. You do have to replace the tape every few years when it starts to break down. They won’t cross it but drooping leaves are a problem if they hang down where slugs can get them. I had more success with this than anything else I tried, including beer traps, bait, sand and gravel, plucking them out and tossing them, and when I was really frustrated one year staking them out on a bamboo skewer for the others to eat, which they will.
Slug tossing, the PAC NW Olympic sport. We’re all good at it! 🤪😎
The beer seems much kinder than salt or sluggo ( which is the kind safe near food and animals) at least they will die with a smile on their little sluggie snouts
At least they get to drown in fancy beer! My kale got decimated by teeny tiny caterpillars this year and I let it become the caterpillar bait, hoping to contain them, forget about the basil and cilantro and kale and peppers and squash…focus on the Kale! So far, it’s worked for everything except the kale. 🥬 RIP
Serendipity! My Monday post had Beatrix Potter in it, and Farmer McGregor came up in the comments. Inside, reading bedtime stories, no one likes McGregor, but out in the garden, anything goes. Your garden looks delish!
What a beautiful piece, Robin, thank you. You cheered my day considerably. It's lovely to visit this wild, yet tender, world of yours as a respite from the atrocities beyond the hedge.
The hedge!! It’s like you’re reading my mind here. I often think of hedgerows and just how much we Americans are missing out on wildlife by not having them. I’ve been tinkering with a post about hedges for ages and can’t seem to get it right.
Gah, those dang snails!! They like my hostas, too, but I have an 8-yeard-old “snail shepherd” who does a fantastic job of herding them into little snail rave parties in other spots around the yard. Let me know if I should send him your way.
Now I need a fish pond! Actually, I’ve been on a very slow (and so far unsuccessful) campaign to convince my wife of the benefits of ducks. They love to eat slugs.
While I don’t have a garden, I do share your empathy for the other residents of the planet (including the bugs.) I try to make my backyard a haven for them. You’ve written a wonderful ‘feel good’ essay here and I love to feel good…thank you!
I’m imagining all of these tiny pockets of safety all over the world for the bugs and critters to enjoy. I wonder if the ones who visit you will also find me!
When I lived in London I did a lot of slug tossing.
Also, did you know Kale blossoms are delicious? I discovered, when living the the PNW and having kale all winter long (Oh, to live in the PNW, where everything grows with abundance), that the blossoms are both sweet and crisp. I would pan fry them with just the smallest amount of olive oil. Takes minutes to cook them up and oh, they are so delicious.
I feel like an idiot for never eating my kale blossoms now. You’ve sold me on it. I’ll give it a try!!
And yes, everything grows so well here with the exception of the really heat-loving plants like peppers. That’s why I have a greenhouse. I need me some pepper mojo.
Okay, the aphids can get discouraging. But when you grow a pepper plant that gets so big it hits mini-tree status, it feels really worthwhile. Having said that, my peppers are in rough shape this year from slug bites, so… you win some, you lose some, eh?
Can so relate to this - have forwarded to my fellow village allotment collective. We've been trying to find a humane solution to slugs eating every damn salad-related thing we plant!
In my humble experience, slugs will eat things that even the garden experts say they won’t touch. Maybe we just have really aggressive ones out here. I wish I had a great solution, but I think maybe this is just one of those unresolved things we gardeners will chafe against for as long as we grow things.
A lovely piece! And you’ve sold me on the idea of a kale omelette!
Young tender kale only needs a few minutes in the pan (a dash of water, lid on) to tenderize. So tasty!!
I’m also in the PNW and while I’m not gardening this year I have done so off and on for over 30 years. If you don’t want to kill them I can tell you copper tape works well if you have raised beds or containers. You do have to replace the tape every few years when it starts to break down. They won’t cross it but drooping leaves are a problem if they hang down where slugs can get them. I had more success with this than anything else I tried, including beer traps, bait, sand and gravel, plucking them out and tossing them, and when I was really frustrated one year staking them out on a bamboo skewer for the others to eat, which they will.
I tried the copper tape years ago, and it did work. Maybe I should wire an electric barrier instead. Like copper plus juice. Wham.
Slug tossing, the PAC NW Olympic sport. We’re all good at it! 🤪😎
The beer seems much kinder than salt or sluggo ( which is the kind safe near food and animals) at least they will die with a smile on their little sluggie snouts
It was a reeeeally nice stout.
Your greenhouse is a bit like a soap opera Robin.
Like sands through the hourglass, these are the slugs of our lives.
At least they get to drown in fancy beer! My kale got decimated by teeny tiny caterpillars this year and I let it become the caterpillar bait, hoping to contain them, forget about the basil and cilantro and kale and peppers and squash…focus on the Kale! So far, it’s worked for everything except the kale. 🥬 RIP
Oh no! Stupid caterpillars! I have similar ones chewing away at my gooseberry leaves. Solve one problem, discover another new one.
Serendipity! My Monday post had Beatrix Potter in it, and Farmer McGregor came up in the comments. Inside, reading bedtime stories, no one likes McGregor, but out in the garden, anything goes. Your garden looks delish!
I loved McGregor as a child! Mostly because he couldn't outsmart the animals. And I envied his garden for sure.
I trembled for the animals til they were safe. But I think even then I had a tiny sympathy for McGregor’s dilemma. 🐰I think.
What a beautiful piece, Robin, thank you. You cheered my day considerably. It's lovely to visit this wild, yet tender, world of yours as a respite from the atrocities beyond the hedge.
The hedge!! It’s like you’re reading my mind here. I often think of hedgerows and just how much we Americans are missing out on wildlife by not having them. I’ve been tinkering with a post about hedges for ages and can’t seem to get it right.
Good luck, Robin. I’m sure you’ll nail it when the pieces all come together.
Wow, what a beautiful post.
So glad you enjoyed it.
Omg so relatable Robin. My main problem snails! Goodbye hostas…I’m no gardener but it drives my gf insane! The kale omelette sounds delicious ☀️
Gah, those dang snails!! They like my hostas, too, but I have an 8-yeard-old “snail shepherd” who does a fantastic job of herding them into little snail rave parties in other spots around the yard. Let me know if I should send him your way.
If his rates are reasonable yes please 😂
I used to toss snails and slugs into my neighbor's koi pond (with their permission) - the fish love them!
Now I need a fish pond! Actually, I’ve been on a very slow (and so far unsuccessful) campaign to convince my wife of the benefits of ducks. They love to eat slugs.
Oh! Don’t get me started on ducks. LOVE ducks!
While I don’t have a garden, I do share your empathy for the other residents of the planet (including the bugs.) I try to make my backyard a haven for them. You’ve written a wonderful ‘feel good’ essay here and I love to feel good…thank you!
I’m imagining all of these tiny pockets of safety all over the world for the bugs and critters to enjoy. I wonder if the ones who visit you will also find me!
When I lived in London I did a lot of slug tossing.
Also, did you know Kale blossoms are delicious? I discovered, when living the the PNW and having kale all winter long (Oh, to live in the PNW, where everything grows with abundance), that the blossoms are both sweet and crisp. I would pan fry them with just the smallest amount of olive oil. Takes minutes to cook them up and oh, they are so delicious.
I feel like an idiot for never eating my kale blossoms now. You’ve sold me on it. I’ll give it a try!!
And yes, everything grows so well here with the exception of the really heat-loving plants like peppers. That’s why I have a greenhouse. I need me some pepper mojo.
I wouldn't have tried the blossoms myself if I hadn't given a flower a nibble and wondered just how tasty they might be.
Also, we had a green house and I attempted peppers, but aphids got at them and loved them SO MUCH. I decided it wasn't worth it.
Okay, the aphids can get discouraging. But when you grow a pepper plant that gets so big it hits mini-tree status, it feels really worthwhile. Having said that, my peppers are in rough shape this year from slug bites, so… you win some, you lose some, eh?
That do be gardening.
Can so relate to this - have forwarded to my fellow village allotment collective. We've been trying to find a humane solution to slugs eating every damn salad-related thing we plant!
In my humble experience, slugs will eat things that even the garden experts say they won’t touch. Maybe we just have really aggressive ones out here. I wish I had a great solution, but I think maybe this is just one of those unresolved things we gardeners will chafe against for as long as we grow things.
I saw this on insta this morning, and knew I had to share ! Non toxic slug attraction:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7cJZwcK55L/?igsh=MTB6MnpkcHhzYnR0cQ==
It's a great video! So glad you shared. Lemme just pitch a few slugs over the fence...
❤️