The war on slugs!

   With all the recent rain my crops having been sitting targets against the onslaught of the slugs. My squashes and courgettes have been stripped to just leave a stubby stem remaining. Well now its time for them to fight back! Its useless using pellets when its wet as they just dissolve. So the secret weapon in the war is nematodes. I've used them before against vine weevils with great results, so I'm hoping to have the same success against the slugs. the nematodes are microscopic organisms which prey on different pests in the garden. Its completely environmentally friendly and it couldn't be easier to use. It comes as a spongy substance which should be stored in the fridge. You just dissolve it into your watering can and apply to the soil. Luckily with the rain sill pouring it ensures that the nematodes will get down into the soil and do their magic. Nematodes are quite expensive so I'm hoping they'll be worth the cost. It states that the slugs will be dead within a week so  if my plants can hold out a bit longer then the war might be won! I'll keep you posted.

The garlic harvest

   I harvested my garlic yesterday. They were suffering from rust and all the foliage was yellowing and dying. I didnt know what to expect from the bulbs. Its always exciting digging something up and seeing if your hard work has paid off. Its my first harvest of garlic and I will defiantly be growing them again this Winter. I thought they might have suffered after all the bad weather and then from the rust, but they seem to have survived. They arent the biggest bulbs ever but for my first time i am very pleased!