Whats the point ?

Thanks for the encouragement so far. As I said, I will almost certainly be doing it all again next year.

I have a small pond I planted years ago with frogs. This spring I saw the frog and since then there have been no sightings of any.

I have used nematodes in the past with little or no results.

I have been hand pollinating all the courgettes and cucumbers in the greenhouse as advised here earlier in the summer.

I use organic pellets.

I have some Potatoes in bags still growing, can I keep them going in the greenhouse ?

I also think I will keep a book with notes for what to avoid next year.

As for feeding, I remember Bob Flowerdue saying he sprays everything garden with seaweed mixture and it made such a difference in growth.

Thanks for the encouragement so far. As I said, I will almost certainly be doing it all again next year.

I have a small pond I planted years ago with frogs. This spring I saw the frog and since then there have been no sightings of any.

I have used nematodes in the past with little or no results.
I use organic pellets.

Organic Pellets, and nematodes with all the best will in the world, are not as effective as slug pellets.  Im sorry but its a WAR!  Do not underestimate the enemy.  Use regular slug pellets, just use them sparingly, in my opinion nothing beats them.

I also sprinkle a few pellets, in areas where I suspect they are lurking.  Its not the greenest thing to do in the world.  However, it delivers results.

The weather, you can do nothing about it.  Slugs and Snails are a war you won't win, but you can defend your plants to a better extent than has happened.

Nettle tea...Comfrey tea....liquid manure....cost nowt....Slug pellets is down to the user.....


But it all 'elps.....

some excellent advice here.  Some of which I will be taking myself including a detailed log of produce type, seed names, plot position, feed and yields.

Hang in there Dude.  Plant some asparagus and some PSB as soon as you can to  keep you interested in spring time so you don't deal with all your disappointment in late summer.  You can save some for March and April!  Hahaha!


I had a shocking year with some veg.  It will be something different each year.

Feeding: This is a complex subject and what is right for me will not always be right for you.  Spend the winter finding about your soil types and what your crops need and when.  I'd put my finger on this a primary task for you.

Slugs and sails.  Nuke 'em.  No prisoners.  No retreat.  No surrender.  Organics are not man enough for this job, in my opinion, and unless you need to be certified organic this is the one area that we should always go commercial and toxic.   Copper tape?  I don't rate it. I've only ever seen it fail horribly and it's very expensive.  Others swear by it.

Everyone will tell you that slug and snail traps baited with beer do work.  This is an inexpensive "always on" option.  Disposal is a bit ghoulish.  Wear gloves and (if you are a drinker) develop a taste for wine as beer will not be your buddy after you've emptied a few pots of beery slug goo.

But let us never forget the good old fashioned weekly torchlight slug & snail harvest on a damp night.   You can create snail shelters around your garden to harvest the snails that way during the day.  They seem to like brick and concrete. Got much of that In your garden?  If anyone you know has chickens then give the slugs and snails to your chicken guy.  A couple of bird tables and feeders will also encourage predator birds.

Slugs and snails are slow, stupid and always hungry.  This battle is weighted heavily in your favour.

In retrospect (and after talking to my wife) things haven't been that bad relativity speaking with what you all have shared.

The Kale is looking good and will supply greens over winter. I have some couliflowers that are still ok, Kol Rhabi growing, Summer Broccoli that is still only about a foot high and some still very small Prima and greyhound cabbadges. The runner beans are twisted and mutated but we are still eating them ;-)

Tomatoes in the greenhouse ares till slow but at least I have something to ripen. The blighted toms infected leaves were but off but the rest of the plant still gives fruit and looks fine. You don't have to destroy the whole thing !

I have found a new baby frog in the pond which gives me no end of joy. Funny thing is, there was no frog spawn at all in spring.

I have always fed birds in my garden but will try and expand.

I have a lot to learn and have been quite ignorant of many things.I haven't even bothered to test the soil.

my garden is walled - no way in, yet we have 4 toads and a frog that somehow got in - one is huge, goodness knows how long he has been in there
just cos you dont see them dont mean they arent there

its war against the caterpillars and slugs, my lottie neighbour was pretty disgusted with me when i said i squished caterpillars - 5 weeks on she said 'it makes your fingers really green when you squish them doesnt it - snails go flying on my plot to the road (sorry but my veg is more important) and slugs go to a plot holders chickens
pillars are squashed and i fed my plants with wormery liquid, well diluted only a couple of times (new soil tho, next year may be a little different )
my plants seem to have done well for having to struggle a little against wind and rain

keep at it, its rubbish when somehting fails (tomatoes 3 years running, blight spuds 2 years) but theres always next year

and it gets you out and about and is good excercise

good luck with it