2025 so far..

Slugs… since May I have been stalking out of the house each night in the dark, just before going to bed. Torch in hand and yes…there they all are..sliming and munching away on my newly germinated seed. Ah well. What did I expect? for them to disappear magically, as if some slug catastrophe had occurred? They were out in force last year all right so they were bound to return this, with reinforcements. The vegetable patch is surrounded by an old loose stone wall built about 150 years ago with the local stone – conglomerate. To a slug wanting to start a family this is the ideal place to lay eggs and rear them. Sheltered from predators and a shaded gloomy crevice is the perfect start to a slug’s life. Then at night it’s an easy slither and slide to the delicate, tender and delicious vegetable seedlings. Especially lettuce. The king of foods if you’re a slug.

It is a hopeless task, expecting to deplete the local slug population by picking a paltry few – the ones under my torch radar – each night. There are millions of them. All I can hope to do is slow down the disappearance of the beginnings of a fine crop of lettuce.

I did end up with some lettuce after nightly culls. Ate some and now the prolonged drought with searing heat from the sun bearing down on them has caused them to suffer and respond by bolting. I think I’d do the same.

Over the years I have decided to stick to growing what survives in this hostile garden. Climbing french beans if I can keep the slugs off them in the early days. Courgettes. Leeks and brassicas (if the cabbage whites don’t get their way).

The biggest success this year was strawberries. This was unexpected although I did put some effort into weeding them and gently spreading chicken manure compost from the hens around them in the early days. This year I copied a daughter-in-law’s method of cramming the plants in close together to supress weeds and prevent drying out. They really don’t like drying out. Result was some deliciously fragrant tasting strawberries. Perhaps I will extend the bed next year. The raspberries have suffered from lack of water, they are thirsty plants and prefer the damp and wet climate of Scotland not southern sun and drought.

March Sowing

With the temperature slowly and reluctantly creeping up it seemed time to sow some more seeds. The onions, spring onions and broad beans I sowed last month..was it too early? were they showing any signs of life?

Despite Charles Dowdings warnings of seeds having a short shelf life I had recklessly sowed some old seeds anyway. He writes “Old ones germinate slowly and erratically. Also they grow less strongly” And to grow my own seeds to be more successful. The slow start was true – the onions took about three weeks! and the spring onions slightly longer. How do I know whether this is the result of old seeds or colder temperatures earlier? I report back on their weediness if that part of the prophecy is correct..

This year I have started trialling bought compost instead of using my own which is packed with weed seeds. In previous years I’ve had a fantastic gemination rate from a wide range of wild species not really appreciated as they try to suffocate the seeds I am trying to grow. To eat. Incidentally, my neighbour informs me that you can eat chickweed. It’s quite nice – I tried some. Frequently the weediest looking weeds had long clinging root systems far in advance of the poor delicate vegetable seedlings. After some research I’m trying Rocket Grow organic compost. Being costly I’m using it for the more delicate seedlings such as some speedy lettuce, onions and spring onions. The broad beans will have to compete with my own compost’s companions.

The speedy lettuce seedlings shot up speedily, as suggested by the name. Yesterday I planted some of them out. It won’t be long before the slugs are queuing up for them. I should have checked today..perhaps I’ll go out tonight…with my torch. The broad beans sulked. Careful not to overwater them this year I became too impatient last week and poked one or two to see if they were showing any signs of germination. Yep. They were. I really shouldn’t do that.

Yesterday I also sowed tomatoes indoors in the heated trays. Again old packets of seeds came out. I have an idea if I sow all of these old seeds then surely some might germinate;

Money maker

Black russian

Nello’s plum (these are ancient – I was given them about 20 years ago. Surely that’s a waste of time?)

Wilkos plum.

Ailsa Craig

Orange blush

Any signs of life will be suitably celebrated.