Published on 12, July, 2020
I’m at war.
I’ve been doing some gardening. My mental health team suggested it last year because, and I quote, “it’s a no stress hobby that will get you outside in the fresh air and it’ll be good for me”. They were right about the fresh air, that can’t be denied. And I was feeling better with no stress until-they came. I am of course referring to the biggest pest in anyone’s garden: snails and slugs!
Crime scene photo #6.
Seemingly overnight snails and slugs have ransacked my garden and are terrorising my flowers and strawberries. I attempted to garden last year, wanted to grow some strawberries as they’re my fav to eat and they’re also healthy. I follow this guide sheet on healthy eating as I’ve got IBS and certain foods, generally the unhealthy ones-set off digestive upset for me.
So I’m trying to do healthy eating to better manage and prevent these issues.
But even with the healthy fresh summer air the stress is mounting up! Despite my best efforts these slugs have launched a devastating attack. Strawberries are at risk, some have been eaten whole or mutilated in severe cowardly attacks. These cowardice slugs dare not strike during the day-they only come out at night when I’m asleep, too afraid to face me honourably during the day.
Don't let this cuteness fool you!
Lol! Ok it's not quite that bad but seriously is there any advice on how to best deal with these little slugs? I don’t want to get any poison pellets as I live on a mountain in a rural area and the birds might eat them, I also despite myself don’t like the idea of hurting the slugs. But I also do get extremely stressed when my strawberries are looking nearly ready for picking and then a day later they’ve been devoured. All my hard work wasted.
It’s annoying but I do like the challenge lol-although it’s embarrassing that I’m being outwitted by a slug! Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions on how to deal with these garden pests are more than welcome...
Paige, I just wanted to say that your post and the humorous way you have expressed yourself caused me to chuckle, as have some of the comments. Thank you!
Although I am unable to offer any humane methods of ridding your garden of slugs and snails, your post reminded me of an attempt I'd had of growing strawberries several years ago. All was well until the hanging pouch they were growing out of broke. I had forgotten about it until some years later, when I discovered I had strawberries growing up through the gaps between my paving slabs, in a different area of my garden.Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your garden warfare. I appreciate how frustrating it can be when one has invested time and money on one's garden, only for it to feel like your hard work has been sabotaged. I had a similar issue with squirrels after planting an assortment of bulbs, to the extent that I invested in rolls of steel wire mesh to make squirrel-proof cloches. Somehow, the crafty squirrels still managed to run amok and cause mayhem.
The squirrels near me stole my tulips (several varieties), daffodils, and a couple of others I can't remember, maybe hyacinths? They didn't seem to like crocus or snowdrops. At least I'm hoping the snowdrops come up next year, as the packet said they don't always come up the first year after planting, so I guess I can't blame the squirrels yet. Next time I plant, I'll invest in some mesh too.
I never saw them dig them up, but I know they lived in the roof of the flats nearby, you'd regularly see them scamper up the 3 storeys into the attic. My friend's husband calls them tree rats.
I remember reading an article some time ago, which I think had been written by one of the TV gardeners. It stated that grated soap within the vicinity of flowers deters squirrels. The article went on to say that the soap didn't need to be an expensive brand, as the cheapest brand would work just fine.After reading that article, I was keen to give it a try. Did the bars of soap I had painstakingly grated deter the squirrels? In a word, no.
I have problems with squirrels and bulbs. One thing that helps is to plant pansies above them, but sometimes need mesh until well rooted. Not guaranteed though.
How deep did you plant your bulbs? I know grey squirrels can br a nuisance and many peole refer to them as tree rats, we're lucky here we have our small, native red squirrels who arn't as destructive. Maybe next year you could plant your bulbs deeper?