 |
| FOUR O'CLOCKS Tea Time Rose Flower Seeds |
These past two days we've used the push mower, pulled weeds and transplanted flowers that we had grown from seedlings into larger pots, and flower beds - Cleome, Canna's, Banana, Brown-eyed Susan's, Inpatients, etc... We've also managed to plant some fresh seedlings - Morning Glory's and Foxglove.
 |
| Malabar Spinach |
The Malabar spinach is leafing more! The stem is magnificent and very sturdy. I think most of its growing stage has been in the root system. I'm already searching for a trellis so I can transplant into the ground. I just need to find a nice sunny spot and a place where slugs won't find it.
What Is Malabar Spinach?
- Not true spinach.
- Tropical climbing vine.
- Loves heat.
- Perfect for Southern gardens.
- Leaves can be eaten fresh or cooked.
- Thrives when regular spinach struggles.
Why I Like Growing Heat-Loving Crops
- New Zealand spinach
- Malabar spinach
- Sweet potatoes
- Okra
Have any of you ever dealt with slugs before?
 |
| Slug |
I must tell you a story about slugs...
When we lived in Lubbock, we would find a strange icky trail on our bathroom floor each day. After days and days of investigating, we finally discovered the culprit - SLUGS! Huge slimy slugs (I'm talking sci-fi 3 inches long without the shell) that were somehow getting into the house. I called the exterminator and he didn't know what I was talking about! This happened several years ago and I remember that my husband had mentioned it to a co-worker at his job who knew very well what we were talking about (finally!)
She explained that she used to have problems with slugs too - getting into her cat's milk! (ugh!)
Anyway, these slimy creatures are so pitiful that even birds will spit them out. The best way to kill them is to set out beer in bowls (they love beer, will fall in and drown) and also, crushed EGG SHELLS. The tiny shells will cut their delicate slimy skin and they will avoid your young baby plants. They LOVE tender plants that are freshly sprung from the ground -- I know as I've lost MANY a sunflower plant this way.
Anyway, I try to start most of my plants in pots until I feel they've matured enough to not attract these nasty slugs. I will probably transplant the Malabar in about a week or so.
Natural Ways to Control Slugs
Mention:
- Eggshells (results vary, but many gardeners still try them).
- Beer traps.
- Copper tape.
- Remove hiding places.
- Water early in the day.
- Hand pick after dark.
Some gardener's report success using crushed eggshells as a barrier, while others find beer traps or copper barriers more effective.
 |
| tiny cucumbers on the vine |
Baby cucumbers are now appearing. With all this stuff in the news about TOMATO RECALLS, I'm going to go ahead and plant some more tomatoes. They're too expensive in the stores anyway.
Due to the wind, I think I'm going to skip yard work today and remain indoors. Another hot muggy day. Hopefully this wind doesn't spark any wildfires. We are truly in bad need of rain!
Looking back: This post was written during the nationwide 2008 tomato Salmonella outbreak. The recall was eventually traced to specific sources and has long since passed, but at the time many grocery stores temporarily removed tomatoes from their shelves.
3 comments:
You've haven't seen slugs till you've lived in LA.. their so bad out there that you can't walk down the sidewalk without hearing them crunch under your feet.
they sell some kind of poison in a pallet form that you sprinkle around your yard and flower beds.
I don't remember slugs in L.A.,... hmmm.. why were they on the sidewalks out in the open? Sounds kind of creepy. Or crunchy, I mean.
They came out at night when it was cooler and damp. When they shed their shells and turned all slimy they were totally awful. I don't know which was worse.. steping on the crunch or slipping on the slime.
Post a Comment