Organic Slug Control in the Garden.

Living in the tropics poses many challenges when growing vegetables during the wetter months.

To avoid some of the pitfalls we have chosen to grow in a contained environment.

The hothouse has a plastic roof with shade cloth walls for ventilation this way we can control the amount of water, due to the high number of rainy days over- watering is a big issue and slugs, mold and rot can become a constant battle.

Growing organic vegetables are just impossible outside the hothouse ,trying to grow your own healthy , poison free Veg this is the only way. I have been given many recipes for solutions to mix up and spray on the plants but have found all to be quite ineffective.

I like to grow green leafy vegetables and in a climate that gives us many wet days in winter the slugs are a really problem.

I have discovered that by spreading diatomaceous earth over the ground around my veg this has stopped the slugs getting to my greens. It is the dry earth that works by drying out the slugs as they go over it so will not and that stops them getting to the leaves to eat them. Ash from your fireplace works in the same way and no chemicals or sprays are needed.

This is completely natural and does not need to be put onto the plant at all I just need to reapply the product after watering as it gets watered into the soil each time, not really an issue as the ground stays quite damp from the constant rain during winter on the Southern Tablelands where I live.

Mould and Rot are not really a problem in the winter months but the Slugs are the biggest issue I have currently got a lovely organic crop of Pak Choy and my Broccoli is just beginning to head. Yes I do have some holes in the leaves from before I found the solution but as my Old Friend says wash it well and you can eat the holes .

I am using a lot of leafy greens in my cooking and being able to grow these myself has been very rewarding.

We have had a very wet winter so far here and the sun has been absent for months, This has made it impossible to grow very much at all.

Anyway I hope this helps you if you might be having the same issues as I am.

Cheers