ChinaVoodoo
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There are 129 known invertebrates in Alberta
China Voodoo 2020 Grow
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There are 129 known invertebrates in Alberta
Looks like numbers 12 through 17 (on the image) are in Alberta, and noted to be exotic. And I'll guess that those big mammas of Charly are 24 through 27. I didn't locate a chart of slugs in France, and I suspect that the image is from a book on Great Britain.
Here in Virginia, we just have slugs. They're small and slimy.
Bob
Here in Virginia, we just have slugs. They're small and slimy.
Bob
MadFarmer
Well-Known Member
Bob,
Do you have fire ants in your part of Virginia? We have slugs down here, but not in great numbers. I believe the fire ants have something to do with that.
Do you have fire ants in your part of Virginia? We have slugs down here, but not in great numbers. I believe the fire ants have something to do with that.
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
I have a feeling I would prefer slugs over fire ants.
I don't know why she swallowed the fly
I don't know why she swallowed the fly
Yep. When I was a kid there were no fire ants or armadillos in the area but both were in south Ga. Later the fire ants moved north and then the armadillos showed up a few years later to feast on the ants. Both are a nuisance.
We have fire ants here in Arkansas and plenty of slugs. We get what the locals call bannana slugs which get pretty large, but I have yet to see one munching my plants. I have seen deluxestogies well described "small and slimy slugs" munching away happily at my plants though. I'm not sure how much slug control the fire ants do here, but then again I don't have a massive infestation of fire ants in my yard (currently).
I notice people keep talking about chickens in this thread and have heard other people say they are great in the garden. Man, I have to keep mine in their pen during the growing season, they are incredibly destructive. I had a raised bed they got into twice and killed/scratched up most of my tobacco plants. They get in my raised garden and manage to even scratch up large plants and peck holes in my tomatoes and nip young growth shoots off various plants. They do so much damage that I wound up fencing in my tobacco patch and garden for the occasions when they escape their pen. The wife actually cooks meals for the spoiled little bugers and they are never without plenty of chicken food so it's not like they are starving... Maybe I just have rebel chickens.
Knucklehead, you mentioned owls got your chickens. We had a hawk get one of ours so my wife decided to put up a little bit of string to deter them. My dog was even confused...
I notice people keep talking about chickens in this thread and have heard other people say they are great in the garden. Man, I have to keep mine in their pen during the growing season, they are incredibly destructive. I had a raised bed they got into twice and killed/scratched up most of my tobacco plants. They get in my raised garden and manage to even scratch up large plants and peck holes in my tomatoes and nip young growth shoots off various plants. They do so much damage that I wound up fencing in my tobacco patch and garden for the occasions when they escape their pen. The wife actually cooks meals for the spoiled little bugers and they are never without plenty of chicken food so it's not like they are starving... Maybe I just have rebel chickens.
Knucklehead, you mentioned owls got your chickens. We had a hawk get one of ours so my wife decided to put up a little bit of string to deter them. My dog was even confused...
Pretty neat contraption. Unfortunately my chickens roosted in the trees. (Except for the rooster, he slept on the lawn mower) I think the owls would land beside the hens, knock them off the limb, then catch them as they were falling. My German Shepherd was disappointed. He would lay down in the yard and let the rooster groom him and pick fleas and ticks from his fur. They were quite good companions.
edit: the owls got the hens. The wife ran over the rooster with her car. She was devastated.
Yeah, ours are pets. Funny how a person can eat chicken for dinner but at the same time have some for pets that they wouldn't consider eating - until they dig up the damn tobacco plants for the second time
If I ever get some decent sized tobacco plants established in the ground I'll carefully give the chickens another chance at free rangeing. Sorry ChinaVoodoo, didn't mean to distract from your thread
We have different kind of slugs of various shapes, sizes, colours and behaviors (I posted a picture in my blog : https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/charlys-grow-blog-2020.9287/page-3#post-174466).
The biggest we had this year was about 4 inches (10cm), but most measure between 1 and 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5cm), and we often see a lot of small babies of course.
The biggest we had this year was about 4 inches (10cm), but most measure between 1 and 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5cm), and we often see a lot of small babies of course.
Moth
Well-Known Member
We have some carnivorous slugs in the uk. The ghost slug, while a recent discovery, actively hunts earthworms. I've never seen one, only discovered in 2008.
I do see the really big ones (Great Greys, and Large Blacks) scavenging on dead snails that have been trodden on. They are big (20cm/8 inch and 15cm /6inch).
Fascinating little monsters
I do see the really big ones (Great Greys, and Large Blacks) scavenging on dead snails that have been trodden on. They are big (20cm/8 inch and 15cm /6inch).
Fascinating little monsters
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
It amazes me that after thousands of years of human habitation, and at least 200 years of science on those islands, a critter is discovered in 2008.
Ducks! After the tobacco transplants have grown for a few weeks, allow ducks into the tobacco field. (If you also want lots of eggs, Khaki Campbell ducks are prolific layers.) Although ducks will eat tiny greens (new tobacco transplants), they will selectively pluck bug off of larger tobacco leaves, without the damage of a pointy chicken beak. They are actually used commercially for that purpose in a number of locations.
www.hobbyfarms.com
Bob
Why Ducks Are Good for Your Garden - Hobby Farms
Chickens can take a destructive toll on your garden, but ducks—they’ll pick the bugs and leave your vegetables alone.
Bob
Pet ducks don't do well in our area, they tend to get "fetched"Ducks! After the tobacco transplants have grown for a few weeks, allow ducks into the tobacco field. (If you also want lots of eggs, Khaki Campbell ducks are prolific layers.) Although ducks will eat tiny greens (new tobacco transplants), they will selectively pluck bug off of larger tobacco leaves, without the damage of a pointy chicken beak. They are actually used commercially for that purpose in a number of locations.
Why Ducks Are Good for Your Garden - Hobby Farms
Chickens can take a destructive toll on your garden, but ducks—they’ll pick the bugs and leave your vegetables alone.
Bob
Duck hunting is big business down here and about every third house has a Labrador retriever or some version of duck dog. Just a little trivia on slugs - many land dwelling species are hermaphroditic and some are capable of self fertilization. I'm exerting some serious will power not to add a few additional comments right now
Ducks are on my list of things I would like to try, but like the chickens, if I decide to give it a go, I will have to make some adjustments to our garden and life style (creating a pond, finding a good place for them, building a shelter, fence and it means another thing to take care of all year long).
So no duck or chicken for now, but maybe in a (not so) distant future...
So no duck or chicken for now, but maybe in a (not so) distant future...
I forget the duck predator thing. You also need to get a pair of geese. Once they are grown, the predators (dogs and hawks alike) will learn their place in the scheme of things. Just not Canada geese--they fly away. (Sorry @ChinaVoodoo.)
Bob
Bob
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
I wanted ducks but the wife thinks the eggs are gross.
I agree with your wife, duck eggs are stronger flavored. I've got 9 chickens ranging from small bantam d'uccles to large austrolorps and hybrids. When they are in laying mode and not busy eating each other's eggs we get close to 3 dozen a week - way more than we can eat as a family of five. If we would have stuck with just the bantam breeds I think five or so chickens would have been plenty of eggs for us and they would be a lot less harsh on the garden. One nice thing about them besides the eggs is that you always have a nitrogen source for your compost pile.
Oldfella
Well-Known Member
I got 3 old Brown Shavers. They have laid us 1 egg each every day for the last 4 years. I did have 4 but 1 died for reasons unknown. They have stopped laying now so maybe I'll see if they start up again when the weather warms. They don't bother the plants just the grubs. They scratch around and cluck away all day, I get great pleasure from watching them.
Oldfella
Kind of like watching fish in an aquarium, somewhat meditative
I've tried to describe it to others before, sometimes it's best not to try. Just watching nature be itself at its own pace is its own reward for patience.
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
Swung by the house today to take some photos and check things out.
My Delhi 34 has been suckering like crazy this year, but I'm pretty sure I'm caught up.
The Viqueque is an oddly stout plant. There is lots of thick, dark, leaf, but not much height.
The Lumajang is similar. It gets more shade that the other types. To be determined.
My Delhi 34 has been suckering like crazy this year, but I'm pretty sure I'm caught up.
The Viqueque is an oddly stout plant. There is lots of thick, dark, leaf, but not much height.
The Lumajang is similar. It gets more shade that the other types. To be determined.
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