SMUG SLUGS INDEED

Have you ever been up close and personal with a slug? Can I take back my heart felt apology on my previous post to all slugs in the slug world , or would doing so bring me down to their level? The devious little buggers were quite happy to be let off the hook for a while, but I’m on to them now. Yes, cucumber beetles may have left their mark on my zucchini plants but I now know they were not acting alone but were in cahoots with the slug from the get go.
The last few wet days have brought the sneaky little sods out of hiding in droves to feast heavily overnight. Back from my morning walk today, I discovered in my zucchini patch a whole army with smirks on their faces and bellies fat from gorging. I know a smirking slug when I see one although the ones I usually encounter are of the two legged family member variety. After this morning I’ve come to love the feel of squished slug underfoot, although the slim left on my fingers from picking them up is totally gross and doesn’t wash off easily even with a good scrub with soap and water. (must wear gloves next time)
So, as of today, all bets are off…apology retracted. The line is drawn…a pox on them!

Little Known Slug Facts
Slugs go about .007 miles an hour.
Slugs sometimes are both female and male, and if no one else is around, will mate with themselves.
Slug slime can take away the sting from nettles.
Slugs can stretch out 11 times their normal length.
Slugs mark their homes with their own scent so they can find their way home after dark.

For a good article on dealing with slugs read THOSE CREEPY SLIMY SNEAKY SLUGS & SNAILS by Bruce Zimmerman

ARE YOU READY FOR A SLUG FEST?

Beating them at their own game...
I was feeling bad about my daughter's disappointing results with her first attempt at growing a vegetable garden so I decided my own garden warranted a closer inspection. We don't have a "vegetable" vegetable garden but have opted instead to make use of any available space in our flower gardens to tuck in a few tomato, cucumber and zucchini plants. This year I added a herb garden and allowed some room to throw in some mixed lettuce and spinach seeds.

My vegetable plants too have been attacked by leaf munching creatures...I suspect slugs are the villain. My zucchini, lettuce and spinach are just starting to show signs of feasting...slugs must be slow bloomers in our area. My daughter had spring peepers a good two weeks before us so I expect the slugs are a little behind as well.

In order to beat the little #### at their own game I picked my first "little crop" of spinach and lettuce this morning. Hard to wrap your head around planting your own when you compare my little bowl of greens to the big bunch of red or green lettuce on sale for 89 cents this week at Super Store.

Postscript:
I just came in from hosing the aphids off my purple leaf sand-cherry, my honeysuckle
vines and my rose bushes...well those within hose reach...the rest are on their own.
If it ain't one thing it's another...sigh :(