I’ve been taking a walk around the garden this wet morning, and something struck me. Well, apart from the rain drops that insisted on falling on me, even though I was clearly not attired to be rained upon; I find that very inconsiderate of the weather! Or perhaps I should know better than to walk around in the garden in my bathrobe when there’s a drizzle?
Anyway. Something is missing in the garden.
Look closely at the picture above. See how there is not a single slug in sight?
The dreaded Killer Slugs should be abroad by now, feasting on everything they can lay their what-ya-ma-call-its on.
The peony shoots are also delightfully slug-free. (Though surrounded by weeds. Ah, well; you can’t have it all, can you?)
Sure, we had a cold and long winter and a late spring, but the Killer Slugs, a.k.a. the invasive Iberian slugs that have been wreaking havoc in Danish gardens over the past decade, are normally quite hardy and should be able to survive even a cold winter as they burrow 6 inches into the ground to hibernate.
On a wet morning in May they ought to be out in droves, but they are nowhere to be seen. Not that I’m complaining, mind; I’m perfectly happy if they never return – and more than a little naïve if I think that’s likely…
We do have the native small garden slugs, but they are fewer and less aggressive than the Killer Slugs.
We also have lots of snails, but again they do much less damage than the Killer Slugs – and are easier to deal with as they are less yucky than 3-5-inch slugs!
Anyway, this means that I have not yet gotten my slug-killing spear out of the shed this year and instead of looking for slugs to kill I can just enjoy the flowers in the garden.
I must say, I could get used to this killer slug free style of gardening, but I guess I had better remain alert because sooner or later I’m sure they will appear and then the War On Slugs will be on again.
My fingers are crossed you never see them. Gorgeous tulips, and so soft and dewy looking.
Oh, they WILL return, I’m afraid. They’ve become firmly established in Denmark and are multiplying in our temperate and damp climate. However, a cold winter may set the population back so I won’t have to kill off quite as many of them.
And the tulips are quite wonderful, especially because there are so many. I think I’ll order another 100 bulbs in autumn so they can fill the entire lawn bed next spring!
I wasn’t aware of the giant invasive Iberian slugs. They sound dreadful! Surely you don’t really spear them, though! Or do you?
Well, technically it’s a sort of hoe for weeding between paving stones, but it’s my weapon of choice for dealing with slugs in a quick and decisive way…
You can see a picture here:
https://flaneurgardening.com/2012/07/15/interficio-slugs-ergo-sum%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B/
My record so far for one evening is 179 slugs two years ago. I’m ruthless when it comes to slugs… A man has to stand up for his dahlias, right?
I’m afraid the poor slugs may actually be an endangered species after what you did last year. Or maybe word is just out, in slug circles, about you and that hoe, and they all moved to a safer area. The tulips are perfect, so pretty!
Perhaps I should put warning signs up around the garden perimeter: ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE SLUGS WHO ENTER HERE! 🙂
Yes that would be fair warning!
Stunning tulips drenched in rain and how wonderful no slugs!
Tulips are wonderful for adding some OOMPF in spring. I really should have more…
As for the slugs, well… I’m sure they will return, but for now I’m enjoying the current slug-free situation.
[…] this spring I posted about how something was “missing” from the garden; the slugs were a long time in coming this year, but they’ve finally appeared. […]