Garden Talks June 10--Slugs and more!

Hello again,

I need to get back out to the greenhouse and I hope to type more later in the day but I just wanted to reinforce that wet weather brings out voracious slugs and snails. The volume of fleshy plant material these slimy little serpents can eat AT NIGHT is incredible.

Last night just before dusk I went out to cut some broccoli and reviewed a bed where I have planted some small tomato plants and marigolds. (Yes, I LOVE marigolds and am not ashamed to admit it!). The marigolds looked great.

This AM I went out to add some kitchen waste to the back compost pile (aka Worm Eden) and these very same marigolds were almost "sawed off" from the ground up. Slugs and/or snails for sure. There were none around (never are during the day because they work so hard all night) but the damage from the ground up (the marigold tops are just fine) is unmistakeable. In my haste I have never applied Slug Magic to this bed.

A mere 30 feet away is another bed of broccoli, brussel sprouts, red sails lettuce, pepperd, eggplant and, of course, marigolds. AND a generous scattering of Slug Magic The marigolds and everything else is full and lush.

The message: All natural Slug Magic stops slugs from eating plants. Pure and simple. If you have not done so in this wet weather get that Slug Magic down around your plants.

Some quick pointers I want to "flesh out" later:

NOW is the time to trim your lilacs and most rhododendrons for shape.

My perennial hibuscus has at last come up! Wow! I will tell you what this means.

Many customers I have spoken to have not planted their peas yet! Don't despair. Beans make a good predecessor for fall peas. I would like to talk more about that.

Back to the greenhouse; I will be back later today I hope to "flesh out" the above topics and more!

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
June 10, 2009