Bloody slugs.

I wanted to write a more strongly worded title, but that would have put my blog in a  more, 'Warning, Adult Content' category, due to the profanity I would like to use toward this pest.

Lemon cucumbers all gone.

On Friday there was a break in the weather and I went to look at what was happening in the greenhouse. The sweet corn are coming up nicely, at the second attempt, the Brussel sprouts have finally germinated and I have more cucumber seedling than I will have room for. All seems to be well in my growing world, I just needed to check the propergator where I have my lemon cucumbers. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, all 24 seedlings have been eaten, some, below soil level. I was a bit angry to say the least. It's not like I can nip down to the local shops to buy more of these seeds. I set about looking for the culprit, not holding out much hope, but there, in the lip of the propergator lid was the little bugger, snoozing after his hearty meal. His execution was swift and painless. I still have seedlings growing fit and well, and more seeds to sow.

What's left of the courgette.

They say that lightning never strikes twice in the same place and that is very true. You see, it struck at the allotment. Last week I planted out a marrow, pumpkin and courgette. I took the procourtion to cover them with a cloche. That was no deterrent to a slug. I wouldn't have minded so much, but not only am I trying out an experiment with the courgettes, it was also the only one that grew out of the whole packet of seeds. I suppose as luck would have it, in the gardening magazine I buy, a packet of courgette seeds came as a freebie along with some others. They are the globe variety, Tondo di Piacenza, so it will be interesting to see what I get, if anything. I just have to make sure I have slug pellets at the ready.

Potatoes looking better.

It wasn't all bad news this week. Only a bit of weeding needed to be done. The potatoes have recovered from their touch of frost, the parsnips are soldiering on, as to are the onions and I am pretty sure I have some leeks coming along. Either that or some blades of grass growing right where I planted the leeks. I've also sown a row of swede today.

The poly tunnel I found a few weeks ago has been torn to ribbons this week, so I've put some netting over my 'Garden Connect' bed. Not much to report on this side of things this week. I was talking to a fellow 'Garden Connect' buddy, Suffikboi, this week regarding the lemon cucumber. We have put in a lot of effort so far sourcing them, sowing and generally looking after them as best we can. But what if we don't like the taste? He has tasted them and liked it. I'll just have to wait and see for myself. If not as he said, they could make unusual gifts. I could always put a slice in a Gin & Tonic. Till next time and thanks for reading.