Slugs and Other Bugs�

2002-07-24

I finally put up the shade screen in the atrium. Whew! About time! What a difference ten square feet of shade cloth makes. It blocks the sun coming in two different sliding glass doors, that face south and west respectively. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the difference in temperature it makes.

The Persian Shield plant finally seems to be taking off. I think the fact that I beer-trapped all the snails and slugs in the atrium must be the reason. It helps those critical growing stages if you don't have all your leaves eaten off. I wasn't too surprised at the six or seven snails I got in a couple of days. I do take pots in and out, and snails will, if properly motivated crawl over an eight foot wall. I was surprised by the , yuk, way too many slugs I got in the space of 24 hours. The dish was filled to about 1 and 1/2 inches with slugs. And again I say, yuk! I guess they were thirsty. It is hot out there.

I have done darn near nothing in the garden for the past two or three weeks. I need to sweep. I need to clean out the water pots. I need to plant all of the lovely tropicals I bought. What I actually do is sit in the shade and read. I have been totally without ambition. I think this condition will probably last as long as the heat does.

The eucalyptus trees are dripping again. Poor trees. And there are so freakin' many of them in Southern California that you cannot park anywhere without your car getting covered with recycled sap. With the possible exception of the garage. I took the time to find out what they were on the internet. Aphids. Aphids for crying out loud. Who would have thought that aphids could drink eucalyptus sap. Just goes to show you, the only thing that comes near to the persistence of plants is the persistence of bugs.

�