How Does our Garden Grow?

Sandy_123

Haha @birdwatcher that did make me laugh. I don't own a cat any more but I have the neighbourhood cats in my garden and encourage them. 1 neighbour asked everyone not to encourage him as he goes away for days. Then I got stalked as he was having non of it lol. 

Albus_Scope

We've spied a couple of rats in our garden, cleaning up after the birds, so we're trying to put down the "no mess" bird food. The neighbours garden is fairly overgrown with decking and a couple of sheds, so it's ideal for them to live in.  It's unfortunate as the young rats look really cute and I want to be their friend, but I'm sure over time I'd have far too many friends. 

I've also just bought some slug killing nematodes, so hopefully the garden wont get eaten again this year. I like the natural approach. :

michael57

Albus_Scope said:

We've spied a couple of rats in our garden, cleaning up after the birds, so we're trying to put down the "no mess" bird food. The neighbours garden is fairly overgrown with decking and a couple of sheds, so it's ideal for them to live in.  It's unfortunate as the young rats look really cute and I want to be their friend, but I'm sure over time I'd have far too many friends. 

I've also just bought some slug killing nematodes, so hopefully the garden wont get eaten again this year. I like the natural approach. :

just plant a few extra job done 

Albus_Scope

My entire veggie patch was demolished by slugs last year @michael57 nothing we tried worked against the mob. We unfortunately have the invasive species of slug that seems to breed stupidly quickly and has quite the appetite.   

michael57

run copper pipe around it that will detract them crushed egg shells wool pellets or sharp horticultural grit will help 

WelshBlue

I've had a running battle for 20 years with slugs ... tried everything ... I swear they're SAS trained

It's not unknown for me to be out in the garden in just my boxers and holding a torch after rain, slug hunting.  Not sure why my neighbours think I'm weird ... 

michael57

WelshBlue said:

I've had a running battle for 20 years with slugs ... tried everything ... I swear they're SAS trained

It's not unknown for me to be out in the garden in just my boxers and holding a torch after rain, slug hunting.  Not sure why my neighbours think I'm weird ... 

that is the best time to catch them for sure i do it so being weird is ok but dawnie recons i am weird anyway welcome to the club 

Sandy_123

A dish of beer i heard is good also cats eats snails they crush them with there paw then eat it, gross I know

michael57

Sandy_123 said:

A dish of beer i heard is good also cats eats snails they crush them with there paw then eat it, gross I know

heat beer and dead drunk slugs absolutely revolting smell haha 

onedayatatime

I'm the odd ball you find out in the garden of a night with a torch and a pair of scissors. Those big massive slugs with the orange frilly bit demolish everything! But I leave the leopard slugs alone because they are meant to be ok, I think.
I chuck snails over the fence I to next doors garden 🤭

michael57

onedayatatime said:

I'm the odd ball you find out in the garden of a night with a torch and a pair of scissors. Those big massive slugs with the orange frilly bit demolish everything! But I leave the leopard slugs alone because they are meant to be ok, I think.
I chuck snails over the fence I to next doors garden 🤭

chuck em over next doors garden haha our neighbours spy on me when dawnie is out so i dont think i could get away with that 

Sandy_123

The image of you all in the garden at night with torches and hunting, not  a sport I've taken up lol

michael57

Sandy_123 said:

The image of you all in the garden at night with torches and hunting, not  a sport I've taken up lol

dont knock it till you try it i crack dawnie up when i do it with my david bellamy voice 

Albus_Scope

onedayatatime said:

I'm the odd ball you find out in the garden of a night with a torch and a pair of scissors. Those big massive slugs with the orange frilly bit demolish everything! But I leave the leopard slugs alone because they are meant to be ok, I think.

Yes, leopard slugs eat other slugs and wont eat live plants, so they're friends to me haha. We had one living in our kitchen over the winter. 

The huge ones are the newer Spanish slugs that have invaded the UK, apparently once they get that big, many predators wont touch them and they are very prolific breeders. 

Hopefully inoculating my garden with lots of microscopic, slug eating nematodes will help keep the garden safe for a few months. 

Teigr

Rats wouldn't stand a chance in our garden @Albus_Scope,next door's cat is a fanatical hunter.

Albus_Scope

Please send their cat over to us please @Teigr ours is far too arthritic to do anything other than watch the birds.   

Sandy_123

This is now blooming 

Teigr

I've seen her running around with dead rats that are almost as big as she is @Albus_Scope.

Very pretty @Sandy_123.

Ada

Really like it @Sandy_123

Steve_in_The_City

@Albus_Scope I am not sure how you would like rats as friends or how they look cute, but each to his own! Michael Jackson liked his friend Ben!

I had one in my garden. He/she used to come up from a hole in the ground, so I guess it was like a tunnel. I poured bleach etc down the hole and the rat came no more to visit. Then I accidentally run one over on the pavement while  driving my mobility scooter. He/she jumped up on the running board and I was absolutely terrified.

I am ok with slugs and snails though.

To be serious I would like to do something with my front yard and get it to  look nice, but I am not much of a gardener (I can do the very basics) so will probably have to ask some questions. I don't think I will get very far. But here is saying thank you to the gardeners who do make their place look nice.