Gone With the Wind...

We are totally under a wind advisory today. Actually for the past couple of days it's been that way. It's been a challenge doing yardwork, but Pamela and I have pressed on. The packet of seeds (above) Four O'clocks - Tea Time Rose, Pamela and I planted yesterday in a pot. These seeds actually had blown into our yard and Alan found it on our drive-way. No joke!

These past two days we've used the push mower, pulled weeds and transplanted flowers that we had grown from seedlings into larger pots, and flower beds - Cleome, Canna's, Banana, Brown-eyed Susan's, Impatients, etc... We've also managed to plant some fresh seedlings - Morning Glory's and Foxglove.

The Malabar spinach is leafing more! The stem is magnificent and very sturdy. I think most of its growing stage has been in the root system. I'm already searching for a trellis so I can transplant into the ground. I just need to find a nice sunny spot and a place where slugs won't find it.

Have any of you ever dealt with slugs before?



I must tell you a story about slugs...

When we lived in Lubbock, we would find a strange icky trail on our bathroom floor each day. After days and days of investigating, we finally discovered the culprit - SLUGS! Huge slimy slugs (I'm talking sci-fi 3 inches long without the shell) that were somehow getting into the house. I called the exterminator and he didn't know what I was talking about! This happened several years ago and I remember that my husband had mentioned it to a co-worker at his job who knew very well what we were talking about (finally!)

She explained that she used to have problems with slugs too - getting into her cat's milk! (ugh!)

Anyway, these slimy creatures are so pitiful that even birds will spit them out. The best way to kill them is to set out beer in bowls (they love beer, will fall in and drown) and also, crushed EGG SHELLS. The tiny shells will cut their delicate slimy skin and they will avoid your young baby plants. They LOVE tender plants that are freshly sprung from the ground -- I know as I've lost MANY a sunflower plant this way.

Anyway, I try to start most of my plants in pots until I feel they've matured enough to not attract these nasty slugs. I will probably transplant the Malabar in about a week or so.

Baby cucumbers are now appearing. With all this stuff in the news about TOMATO RECALLS, I'm going to go ahead and plant some more tomatoes. They're too expensive in the stores anyway.

Due to the wind, I think I'm going to skip yard work today and remain indoors. Another hot muggy day. Hopefully this wind doesn't spark any wildfires. We are truly in bad need of rain!