The War on Slugs
6/29/15: The good news is that my tactic of covering the garden pathways with a layer of cardboard and straw and/or grass clippings is doing a great job of suppressing the weeds. I've never had this little weeding to do, and I love it. The bad news is that said cardboard/straw method also creates the perfect environment for slugs. I go out every morning and most evenings to pick as many of the evil things off my plants as I can find - I've killed THOUSANDS. But there's always more. Especially after a rain, when the garden transform into Slugtopia. I think they also like the interior of the hugel mounds, which are stuffed full of lovely decaying organinc matter - brilliant for making fertile soil, but also for MORE SLUGS. *Gandalf voice* I'm breeding an army in the caverns of Alexander.
SO. After much hemming and hawing I caved in and ordered three Indian Runner ducklings. They should be here the week of July 11th. The kids are delighted at the idea, of course, while Chad and I scramble about getting housing and fencing sorted.
What are Indian Runners? They are the most carnivorous of the ducks, meaning they LOOOVE hunting down and eating slugs. They don't care for flying as much as other kinds of ducks. And they are the funniest looking ducks I've ever seen. Their shape is usually likened to a bowling pin, a wine bottle, or a penguin. See for yourself:
SO. After much hemming and hawing I caved in and ordered three Indian Runner ducklings. They should be here the week of July 11th. The kids are delighted at the idea, of course, while Chad and I scramble about getting housing and fencing sorted.
What are Indian Runners? They are the most carnivorous of the ducks, meaning they LOOOVE hunting down and eating slugs. They don't care for flying as much as other kinds of ducks. And they are the funniest looking ducks I've ever seen. Their shape is usually likened to a bowling pin, a wine bottle, or a penguin. See for yourself: