Greening the Garden

Yesterday, I spent almost all day out in the garden.

We don't grow edible things. We tried once (maybe twice) to grow tomatoes; it was disastrous. From the moment we realized we didn't even know which end was the top of a tomato cage, we should have known.

I do, however, grow hostas. I have a particular fondness for these precious little jewels. They are so numerous in size and variegation, just like us humans. I have some blue ones, some green ones, and some variegated ones. We have one cultivar, Night Before Christmas, that we've named Jack. (Sadly, Sally was planted in much worse soil and has possibly gone to Hosta Heaven.)

I tilled the soil, pulled all the weeds (a whole damned lot of weeds!), amended it with compost (No, it wasn't homegrown compost, and, unfortunately, it came in a gigantic petroleum-based bag. The composting hasn't started yet.), tilled some more, added weed barrier cloth and topped it with a good layer of mulch. If I didn't burn 5,000 calories, I will be pissed. At some point, teenage daughter helped (about the time I bribed her with lunch at Burger King...we're rewarding their recent decision to use cruelty-free chicken and pork). We pulled back the ginormous landscaping border rocks (some weigh an easy 15-20 pounds, no kidding) and tucked the weed barrier underneath. No chemical weed killers. I've used Round-Up once; it scared me so much I washed my hands four times when I was finished.

Now is the hour of my greatest turmoil. It's time to make a decision about the bugs, specifically the slugs. I'd rather not kill them if I can help it. Yes, they're slimy and, yes, they bear an uncomfortable resemblance to leeches. However, I'd rather just deter their progress at the All-You-Can-Eat-Hosta-Bar. Early this morning, in a foggy half-sleep, I had convinced myself that perhaps I could cause Death by a Thousand Cuts by using diatomaceous earth. Now, fully functional, I'm not so sure. I like the idea of copper, which gives them a little shock when they try to cross it, but I cannot find any here (I found a vendor in the UK online, though.).

I'd better find a solution quickly, though, as the hostas are really leafing out, no doubt sending a siren song to every slug within a 1/2 mile radius. I'll let you know which diabolical (but hopefully not deadly) deterrant upon which I decide.

Comments

[Vanessa]

oh my god, if i had a garden, i think i'd really have no social life -- i don't know how you manage raising a family, writing articles for the local paper, keeping a blog AND tending to a full garden! way to go, consider me impressed (especially because you're also trying to save the slugs).

[Nickelking]

Never tried it myself, but from what I've heard crumbled up eggshells around the peremiter should keep them out. Hey if my foot was also my abdomen I wouldn't want to walk across them.