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By critters I mean earwigs and wood-lice, with help from the slugs ...

I don't know what the hell the previous occupants were doing here but it seemed to include a breeding programme for crustaceans.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 at 05:26:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
My guess is that they were big pesticide users  - the left over weedkillers indicate they were fully invested in the chemical gardening craze.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 at 05:29:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
You've probably hit upon a new gardening program format: 'Chernobyl Gardens - taking your garden back to Eden'.

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 at 05:46:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Earwigs are handy because (though they eat bits of leaf etc) they prey on blackfly, which are a real problem for young broad/fava bean shoots. Some organic gardeners make winter shelters to encourage them to stick around.

Slugs, hmm. Catch and destroy. Hours of fun.

The worst bean critter we had was a neighbouring rooster who we saw finishing off the last beans of two rows just when the beans were swollen and sprouting. A jab into the ground with his beak, up came a bean like a plum from a pie, gobble gobble, no more beans. Aarrgghh!

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 at 05:48:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Yes, in theory earwigs are useful. However, when you nuke everything except them, woodlice and slugs they can run rampant and do real damage. It's like the slugs: when you kill all their predators they'll shred you. Just have to give the garden a chance to regain balance.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Aug 29th, 2007 at 05:55:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Excellent book on those issues (species imbalance and land stewardship):  Noah's Garden...  delightfully written and good food (or compost) for thought...

The difference between theory and practise in practise ...
by DeAnander (de_at_daclarke_dot_org) on Thu Aug 30th, 2007 at 05:42:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Planting ferns can help mop up toxic waste.
by Loefing on Fri Aug 31st, 2007 at 08:24:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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