Thanks to the freaky non-winter and unseasonable warm spring so far, I've gotten a good head start on spring seed sowing--something that has always been a struggle. The lettuce, spinach, beets, green onions, turnips, peas, pak choy, and leeks are all coming along nicely, and my over-wintered fava beans are exploding with blooms. I also overwintered mâche, spinach, arugula, and collard greens--most of which are in various states of bolting. My herbs are lush. The blueberries, strawberries, and service berry tree are all blooming. My rhubarb even came back!
The only problem--for both edibles and ornamentals--is slugs. I got pretty used to hand- (well, fork-) picking large slugs and using beer traps last fall, but now I am dealing with an army of tiny slugs. Even my standby, diatomaceous earth, is not going to be effective unless I coat every surface in the backyard with it. A rainy weekend made it even more urgent to find another tactic. Iron phosphate, often seen under the brand name Sluggo, is safe for wildlife, so that is what I'm trying. Fingers crossed.
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