Pests

2024-06-04: The slug hunting continued through May. Armies of snails and slugs launching repeated invasions. As an example, my last three early morning visits to their strongholds renders approx 200 slugs and snails per visit. By now I stopped the snipping process, it is to fiddly, I simply put them in a tub with salt water and leave it for a day or two before disposing of it in the compost heap. The damage that these little enemies of the state made to the plants is very very dishearting.

2024-04-29: Throughout April I regularly went out at night in search of slugs and snails. my estimate is to have decimated approx 1500 of them, with a total of 300 in one night. I also placed the traps several times with very good result. When I go out at night lately, there is hardly any snails.

2024-03-24: I love the snail hunts, but decided to combine it with some slug traps. The are really many very small slugs at this time. The usual thing is to use beer. However, I came accross a few interesting perspectives. First of all, the slugs is attracted to the yeast, not the alchohol. This recipe caught my attention. 1 cup of water, tsp sugar, tsp flour, 1/2 tsp of dry yeast, tsp salt. Allthough there are many examples of gardeners just putting out some plastic containers, it really is ugly. So I want to make some traps that I can reuse, have a lid, and blend into the garden. Some elements of the plan should allow for the a cup that is not too high, have several holes for the slugs, and have a removable cap. finally it should be painted dark green.

2024-03-22: decided to invest in a good quality head torch. Combined with some snippers I decimated a few hundred over the next two days, especially lifting some pots on turning the leaves over.

2024-03-21: The hunt is on. As I wake up before sunrise, I decided to do a snail hunt every morning. Scouring through the garden I snipped many snails as slugs in the first night - certainly in excess of a 100.

2024-03-20: I was shocked when all my seedlings vanished overnight.

2002-08-01: slugs and snails are still the number one pest. Control was mostly focussed on catching them in the evenings by hand. Between me and my cousins I estimate that up till now we must have removed and discarded (in a plastic bottle) some 700-900 of these little creatures. I have noticed however that some plants including the hostas and marigolds will need more. I plan the spray some soil drenching control this weekend to see if I can protect those plants better.

2002-05-07: decided to spray weed killer on all the dandilions and nettles where I can, especially outside in the ditch. Also sprayed weedkiller in the paths. Generally speaking the paths are quite clean, and I have conquored the weeds to a large extent

20190630_063729.jpg: 2020-11-14 lily beetle damage

20190618_062504.jpg: 2020-11-14 white rust

DSC01376.jpg: 2020-11-14

20190618_062334.jpg: 2020-11-14 geranium viral infection

20190618_061756.jpg: 2020-11-14 leaf damage

20190618_061846.jpg: 2020-11-14

20190620_064436.jpg: 2020-11-14

20190623_110450.jpg: 2020-11-14

20190618_062330.jpg: 2020-11-14

20190620_064441.jpg: 2020-11-14 virus

20190618_062426.jpg: 2020-11-14 curley leaf

20190504_103947_001.jpg: 2020-11-14 yellowing of leaves

20190630_063715.jpg: 2020-11-14 lily bug