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,
Your post and the replies below are hilarious. I could never kill a living thing intentionally unless someone hurt my daughter but that's another topic completely. :-)
My Granny was (in my opinion) a nasty piece of work. She used to smash snails in front of my brother and I as kids and it's never left me. I felt ill to the core and she used to use salt for them all too. Mean, just mean.
It sounds like there are good alternatives to killing them so best of luck! The strawberries look lush, wish I wasn't allergic.
Best of luck with the garden. :-)
I've got a real problem with snails on my patio and in my garage.
I'm pretty much live and let live as far as I can manage, but I keep treading on snails...
I feel guilty and helpless and just wish there was a way to exclude them, from the garage particularly, but also areas of the patio where I walk a lot.
I get loads of snails in my garage too. I've never understood why, but for whatever reason they seem to be attracted to it.
If I happen to walk along my garden path when it's dark, and especially if there has been a spate of rainy weather, I can guarantee that I will hear repeated crunching sounds. However, the worst I think are slugs, and knowing that they have been inadvertently squished by one's feet.