Photo: Paddy with his chocolate scented cosmos.So Paddy, what irritations are there in your garden and how do you cope?
People! I have tried sprays and putting down traps… Nothing works! Other than that I have to keep a close eye on the slug population. Every year they make a pilgrimage to the vegetable beds so I try different techniques to keep them away. I practice a No Dig gardening policy. This seems to help, as the slugs can’t find as many places to hide in the soil. I give them cans of beer to drink around the beds in the polythene tunnels and glasshouse. They are not good drinkers! I have also put boards and sheets of black polythene down around the beds in spring. The slugs hide under these and I collect them up and “re-home” them. This depopulates them before the serious breeding starts.
What is your best gardening tool?
I have an oscillating hoe. It sounds a bit painful but actually it’s a stirrup shaped device on a long pole. It is brilliant for getting in between the plants and vegetables to get the invasive weeds out.
Have you seen anything unusual in the garden this year?
I did see the Humming bird Moth. They are unusual in this part of the world, as the adults or eggs don’t survive the cold winters. They bear a striking resemblance to a hummingbird (hence the name!) They are wonderful to watch.
Do you have any tips for growing good spuds?
If you grow spuds then remember they are heavy feeders. I grow a few different types every year to see what does well. This year I have found a great Hungarian spud called Sharpo. They are said to be blight resistant and are proving to be a very prolific crop. I have had a good early crop from one called the Duke of York.
Top Gardening tip?
When growing plants from seed or cuttings get the module trays to plant them in. There is no root disturbance when it comes to transplanting them.
More from Paddy next week
Horticultural.
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