Carol A. Hand
A morning visitor, just my speed
for ample macro focusing time
A little slug looking for an early feed
as it secretes its trail of shimmering slime.
A little creature much maligned
I admit I’m guilty of this, it’s true.
I know I honestly wouldn’t mind
if you only ate weeds instead of feasting on my gardens, too.
This year I’ve tried something new
to help you know what’s not in bounds
I routinely circle my gardens to deter your crew
with carefully spread coffee grounds.
It seems to work for you and me
We’re able to coexist peacefully…
***
I will certainly try your deterrent, Carol. I wouldn’t hurt them for the world. I put cat food out for the hedgehogs that visit every night [four of them at present]. The cat food is all eaten but the slugs remain!! So obviously hedgehogs prefer cat food to slugs!!
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It is a challenge to deal with them, Izzy. Last year, they devastated my vegetable gardens. My tomatoes were all bitten, and the bean and green pepper plants were skeletons. This year, I was tempted to use chemicals, but just couldn’t do it. And then, someone told me about coffee grounds. So far, it’s worked.
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Very thoughtful. Thank you, Carol.
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Thank you for your kind words, Peter. ❤
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If slug and human, then why not human and human?!
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A crucial question Dave! Lord knows, I try…
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Slugs are easier to get along with;-)
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so true 🙂
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Egg shells if you’ve got them crumbled and placed around each plant. heheheheh Good for soil and bad for their delicate feet. I know they can be devastating but I do have a soft spot for these guys.
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I’m grateful for the helpful advice, Debra, and not surprised to hear that you “have a soft spot” for them. They do play an important role as composters 🙂
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You are not the only one, Carol!
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Thank you for your comments, Global Residence. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you 🙂
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I love that! I can’t kill anything, I save wasps when they fly into my sitting room, I couldn’t kill a slug, they occasionally trip into my kitchen and have slug parties. I pick their sticky bodies up and place them outside somewhere safe. I de-flea my dog and feel sad about that. I am a hopeless case. Xx
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You are far kinder than I am, Nelly. Thank you so much for sharing your stories. 🙂
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I put out lids of (cheap) beer for them. They can’t resist it and drink themselves to death.
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I’ve read about this, Dr. B., but somehow, I could just never go buy beer. It’s something I’ve stayed away from for at least half a century.
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I guess slugs need attention:)
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Funny but true, Juan. 🙂 (They will eat everything I plant otherwise, as they almost succeeded at doing last year…)
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Love it Carol, and the coffee grounds may be good fertilizer for your plants too. I know they are great for roses. 🙂 ❤
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Thank you for your kind words and advice about coffee grounds as fertilizer for roses, Natalie! ❤
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You’re welcome Carol❣😊
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wondrously artistic
co-existence, Carol 🙂
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Thank you for sharing your lovely thoughts, David. I send thoughts of steady, healing rain to you, the rains that make the earth abundant for humans and for our slug relatives as well. 🙂
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Well done, Carol! Do you garden beds smell like a coffee shop? (smile…)
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It’s so good to hear from you, Cynthia. Yes, my gardens do smell like a coffee shop 🙂
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Tee hee….
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🙂
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Pity they cannot be trained to eat weeds 🙂
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The funny thing I noticed yesterday is that they have begun to frequent the brush and weed pile under my deck rather than the gardens! So just maybe they are being trained?
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It is very good. May be they like the taste of the slightly fermented leaves, or they are making a winter hibernation place in that pile.
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🙂
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