Jason was busy further down planting out lettuce too – I could hear the distinctive sound of slug pellets being shaken. I spotted a couple of small grey slugs as I whipped the hoe over the two front beds, & helped them into the manure skip – call me a silly, but dispatching slugs is not something I enjoy.
When Jason walked up I asked him about the pile of wood chippings that appeared the other day – apparently, a truck rolled up, the driver asked the first person he saw whether we’d like the chippings, & when the allotment holder said yes, the driver dropped the whole lot there & then.Now you see, if I knew this the other day, I would have happily joined in with broom & shovel in order to move the pile to a more convenient location – especially as I may wish to use some of the rapidly diminishing pile.
I should have been rather nosier at the time – & it’s not often that you can say that!
I'm the same with those naughty slugs! I also earthed up a lettuce for lunch today...my first bit of produce from the allotment (I'm v.proud!!!)
ReplyDeleteI'm always missing out on freebies....manure/pallets...you name it...due to the fact of not being nosey enough!! ;-)
Oh dear, you're going to have to educate Jason, aren't you?
ReplyDeleteI think Flummery has the best way of dealing with slugs at present, but in the absence of Rock Chicks, try chucking them in a bucket of salty water. I guess you could put the resulting disgusting mess on a compost heap, I used to tip it into the nearest drain.
I envy the free woodchippings. That's what we use in the chicken run.
ReplyDeleteYes, slugs do vanish grossly but quickly round here!
Thanks Hazel! we have plenty of pipe and netting (thanks to steve being a builder) so will follow your advice but by keeping the lettuce covered but covering the brassicas up also!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your lettuce!
You don't have to be nosey yourself, Lynsey, just get to know the nosiest person on site, then you're sure to get all the latest news!
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, the slug population on my plot is remarkably low - I'm not sure if that is because the bird population is so high, or if the land retains a natural slug toxicity through the more traditional allotment holders liberal use of slug pellets over the years.
I suppose that slugs come under the 'treats' category for the chooks, Flum - yuk! Keep your eye out for any tree surgeons in the village (or phone a couple) - I think that they will be happy for you collect as many chippings as you want (or deliver a trailerful as we've discovered!)