I haven't gotten much path weeding done lately. Mostly because I've been busy as one of these
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Honeybee on Datura
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focused on finding and eliminating my burgeoning population of Aztec spurthroat grasshoppers.
In the meantime I hadn't noticed until this morning how very many of these were appearing.
Very,
very many.
Scrub snails (I think), mostly in and on the clumps of daisies. As the sun gets higher in the sky they retreat to the undersides of the leaves where they rest out of sight. But. I know they are there now. They can't run or hide.
And at least snails can't hop away. One or two morning sessions with...hmm. What
is the most efficient and yet most humane way to eradicate snails after you've plucked them out of your daisies? I'll do a bit of research on that and get back to you. Or if you have a tried and true method please let me know. Relocation? Perhaps letting them sink into oblivion in a beer bath?
In other less annoying news, now that the potted succulents are well established, I moved them out to the triangular bed behind the bench where they'll get more of the sun they love. Rearranging where pots go in the garden is easier than transplanting, and a lot easier to "undo" if the move doesn't seem to be working out. It is also a whole lot more pleasant than weeding the paths. Oh those paths. Keeping them weeded is the largest single project consistently "in progress" around here.
Optimistically, it shouldn't take me long to pluck up and dispatch the snails. That's the good news. Then I'll have no substitute "work" to use as procrastination for the path clearing. That's the not-so-good news.
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| Cyrano Darner (Nasiaeschna pentacantha) |
At least I won't suffer for lack of supervison.
6 comments:
Gorgeous dragonfly picture!! Your close-ups are amazing.
Oh snails! I haven't noticed many in Austin - maybe my chickens eat them :) When I lived in California they would multiply and destroy potted in plants in swarms overnight! I hear drowning in beer is a good way for them to go..
Agree with THG Mama--gorgeous photos. I like to photograph snails--they don't move fast! You've had a lot of snails. Is that typical for your daisies? Beer. It's a good way to go!
Travis Heights Mama: Thank you! I have snails around all the time but not usually in such large numbers. I'm guessing the recent rains triggered a bit of a population explosion.
I know I won't be able to remove them all (not going to even try) but I'll thin out their ranks to give my plants, seedlings especially, a chance at escaping ongoing salad bar status.
Tina: Snails are easier to photograph though they always move faster than I expect them to.
The large established daisy clumps provide deep shade and always have the occasional snail or three but right now it looks like I'm hosting some sort of convention. It's time to take action. Save the seedling...beer bath to the rescue!
I remember those snails when I lived in San Diego a couple decades+ ago...they also hitched rides on all the plants from there, and live in Abq, but I somehow avoided them in both gardens. Did use some beer at the 1st place...
Datura - the bloom looks massive compared to the bee!
David: Snails are notorious for hitching rides. I suppose that is why they end up nearly everywhere. The snails in my garden here are tiny compared to the ones I had in No California. Those snails were monsters.
I love Datura - they look so prehistorically lovely to me. MegaBlooms!
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