Do you think that subject could fit in this forum, in the sense of offering sustainable non-poisonous alternatives to gardeners problems ?
I have always been concerned for the poisonous products that are being used in gardens, like insecticides, pesticides, but also maintenance products for garden fences and the like, because of the harm it does to nature and its creatures, the humans at the end included. There's always a departement in the garden centers that I avoid, it has a sick-making smell of chemicals. Personally I've never used them, I managed to garden without, so I suppose this must be atainable for every one.
I'm not sure if this subject would fit in this forum or if it should go to the garden pests forum.
In the beginning years of my garden I had a huge problem with slugs and snails.
My garden is mostly half-shade and shade, very humid because of the high level of the ground water. And I'm not the type of tidy gardener, I leave all the dead leaves, branches and the like, like it would be in nature, in order to create a harbour for all types of wildlife. But it was also ideal for these creatures; the snails and the slugs.
I was really desperate to see most of my treasures being devoured by them.
A newly bought small plant, I often only found the skeleton left the next morning!
(This period was a good time to learn what these critters like and dislike. I noticed for example that they left all my ferns in peace and also the many types of ivies I had planted)
The situation gradually improved when I introduced toads, salamanders and frogs in my garden. From the very start I had made a pond in my garden.They liked my place very much and the population increased rapidly, specially the toads. Simultananeously the slug and snail population got under control,
and my toads, frogs and salamanders fat and my plants happy!
I know there are also other alternative ways for gardeners that cannot have a pond for one or another reason, like there are the beer-traps, crumbled egg-shells, sharp sand etc.. But I find my solution the easiest. I don't have to think about it any longer.They do the job for me! Only once at the end of the winter, before the toads have woken from their winter sleep, I apply some organic pellets from a local natural food shop to protect the tender growth of some vulnerable perrenials.
