The Garden Expert

Harvest time

2008-08-26T03:05:00.001-07:00

I love this time of year all those days sitting in the wind and the rain cursing the English summer weather. When you want to be out tending the vegetable patch are forgotten about.

Its time to start enjoying the produces of my labour and as a bonus I get a welcome break from the long suffering. That said theirs a lot of work still to be done, all that harvesting and dead heading takes time.

The one good thing about the weather this year is that there’s a bumper crop. I’ve picked five bags full of runner beans already, the freezers stuffed full of the things, the onions are coming on a treat and I’ve never seen so many tomatoes in my life- I haven’t a clue what to do with them all.

The plums haven't turned out as nice this year as they have in previous years, but hopefully it won't affect the long sufferings plum jam she loves to make the stuff. Can't say I'm particularly fond of it but She does redeem herself with a rhubarb crumble to die for.

I won’t let her get her hands on my apples, I have a much better use for them. Me and my friend Tom make an amazing cider that’s full of flavour and will last right up until Christmas, the recipe was pasted down from my father and has been perfected over a number of years. The locals love the stuff.

Taking cuttings

2008-07-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

Summers here the grandchildren have destroyed my lawn and the next doors barbeque smoke is killing my sun flowers.

Oh how I love summer!

Anyway enough grumbling for now, I’ve got important work to do harvesting the cuttings for my next crop of plants and collecting the runner bean seeds for next year.

I always choose healthy, non-flowering new shoots from the shrub and take cuttings of about 3in long.

Then I prepare them by making a straight cut beneath a pair of leaves and then remove several sets of lower leaves, keeping only a couple of leaves at the tip of the cutting.

The next stage is to fill a pot with compost, level and firm. Insert several cuttings around the edge of a pot, keeping their leaves clear of the surface and water well. And then leave cover with a carrier bag and leave in the green house, simple and its saves a fortune.

I always collect the best runner beans to use the seeds for next year that way you get the best possible runner beans, the long suffering just thinks I am being tight.

Open garden

2008-07-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

Its mid way through summer already, not that you would realise it was summer with the weather we've be having.

I actually managed to get out in the garden the other day in between the rain and noticed that the plants in the garden, like most things in life when they get mid way through have began to run out of steam and need a bit of a boost.

Once they have completed that early flush of growth they really benefit from a good feed. I find that powder works best applied directly to the soil and then watered well to wash it down to the roots.

I want to try and get the garden looking its best for the weekend as the long suffering has signed us up for a blinking open garden thing, the last thing I really want is 300 people traipsing through the garden destroying my lawn and knocking over the flowers but the long suffering has insisted. And if I have to do it then it's got to look good, I am not going to let her up the road beat me to first prize.

Garden crime wave

2008-06-30T07:15:00.001-07:00

We got home from shopping the other day and were confronted by the local gossip and head of the neighbour hood watch.

She invited us to the next neighbour hood watch meeting, before I had a chance to make my excuses the long suffering had accepted and that was that.

The next day an agenda arrived through the door and top of the agenda was garden crime. That had me twitching so I thought I`d make the effort and attend.

I dually showed my face and listened on to PC Barry waffle on about sheds being broken into in the area and july being the busiest time nationally for garden crime. The yobs are even lifting sheds up from the ground to get in them.

Mrs Briggs the old lady from next door but one had her shed broken into at the weekend, they stole everything, all her husbands tools and even the garden ornaments they have been collecting since they wed. About £4,000 worth in all, worse luck the insurance company would only pay a maximum of £1,000.

Thats it I said to the long suffering I m digging the tent out from the atic and were camping in the garden in july, no yobbos going to steal my lawn mower.

Not my favourite time of year!

2008-01-03T01:38:00.001-08:00

I don't mind admitting it!

The Long Suffering gets on her high horse and tells me I've tucked into too much turkey and pud - and she then sticks me on one of these diet things. The belssed woman doesn't understand though. A shed is not just for keeping my tools in - I've got a nice cool store of pork pies and hobnobs in there that help keep the cold away.

So I've had reason enough to go down the garden - but I look at my lawn and sometimes wonder will it ever be back to its beautiful best?

That's why I always put a bit of time into the lawn.

I mow it frequently - that used to be just in the summer but now, of course, it grows at a rate of knots, meaning the old mower is out of hibernation earlier than ever. And whilst it will benefit from regular cutting, helping the growth of shoots it also takes a fair bit of goodness out. So, I always follow a good cut with a good feed.

And that means me as well as the old grass!

A mulching I have been

2008-01-07T06:33:00.001-08:00

I've been a mulching today!

I've mulched all my woody plants with around 3 inches of mulch - using the leaves and pine needles that fell in those strong winds last weekend.

Mulch, of course, helps to insulate the soil in case we get no snow and helps retain soil moisture.

I've also been bulb hunting and getting rid of the tender bulbs that I haven't already pulled. Most of them need to be dug once they’re hit by frost anyway.

I've also done a touch of planting - my garlic went in yesterday and I pulled out the frost-killed stuff and chucked that in the compost bin as well.

But it doesn't matter how busy I get in that garden - I can't wait for that sun on my back! Spring can't come fast enough for this kiddie!

I like my trees!

2008-01-29T00:16:00.001-08:00

As I write this article we are getting drowned on again!

I mean I know that we should be watering our gardens, and evergreen trees and shrubs until it freezes. But for goodness sake I'm wet through!!

Been looking at my trees today.

I've been pruning my elms and oaks and as my pines get older I think they are shedding more -a bit like yours truly to be honest!

With those strong winds last week, I had a load of damaged branches that needed to be cleaned up and removed. The problem is that breaks in the branches allows insect and disease to get into them. That's why the broken portions should be properly pruned to branch collars or other appropriate points.

Trees are important you know - and I don't think we take too much care of ours in this country. Certainly I seem to be surrounded by people who see a tree as an opportunity to take out their axes and chainsaws.

But look after your trees and they'll look after you!

Poll crazy?

2008-02-18T00:42:00.001-08:00

The Long suffering threw me the paper this morning.

She pointed out an article about that DIY and Gardening company 3M. Apparently they'd done some survey which found out that two thirds of women said that a man's attitude to home improvement and gardening reflected their approach to sex.

She then asked me why my rake and two hoes were so small.

Dunno what the woman was on about.

And I told her so an' all.

That's that sorted!

2008-03-03T01:26:00.001-08:00

Those who know me know how much I enjoy my potatoes.

God's onw food I always say - and I have to say the Long Suffereing certainly knows how to prepare the best Jerseys I've ever tasted. So, in February and March I tend to sort out mt spuds for later in the year. I'm usually a bit later than most - but I find its always worked for me.

I normally get my chitting underway in late January (that simply means encouraging the seed potatoes to sprout before planting). The potatoes are then ready to be planted out when the shoots are 1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) long.

So, this weekend I've been out planting - the soil has started to warm up a bit by now I dug my trench about three inches deep, adding a dash of fertiliser before planting. I plant them about a foot apart with 18 inches between the rows. I always make sure the shoots are pointing upwards and careful not to break the shoots. After covering the potatoes lightly with soil I've now got to wait until the shoots appear before covering them with a ridge of soil so that the shoots are just buried.

Now all I have to do is sit and watch the little lovelies grow!

Still no sign of Spring

2008-03-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's supposed to be getting close to Spring - but what on earth is the matter with this weather? After the earthquake came the almost-hurricane thing that threatened to bend my garden in two last week!

That said, I've been out doing my bit - there's no shortage of jobs that need doing!

I've put in my carrots this weekend and even found time to pick a nice bunch of daffs for the Long Suffering - I've also got some crocus growing in the lawn and I'll wait until they produce some seed before cutting that area of grass. I also pruned the roses on Saturday so they're looking all spick and span -cutting out the old branches as close to ground level as possible.

Some of my fruit trees looked a bit hungry too - so I gave them a dash of high potash feed. Then I did a bit more work on the lawn and repaired a couple of damaged areas by loosening the soil and sowing some seed. I then covered the patch with a bit of polythene tapped down with a couple of pegs.

So, I suppose that they're all spring-ish jobs - but I want that sun on my back please!

The slowest but deadliest killer going.

2008-04-14T03:21:00.001-07:00

Its that time of year again when us gardeners resume battle with our enemy - yep I am talking about the pesky garden snail and his chum the slug.

I was about to protect my vegetables with the industrial strength snail killer I`ve been using for past few years when the long suffering reminded me of the incident with next doors cat last year (that's a story for another time).

So I've now been persuaded to join the bandwagon and go green. I've always been one for natural remedies - and so when it comes to slug duffing, I now have the perfect answer.

I use old beer!

The blighters can't resist the stuff - and its an excuse to crack open another bottle anyhow. So, I usually stick a drop of Spitfire into containers dug into my borders. You can usually rely on the silly beggars rushing out as soon as the beer is poured - and I always have a catch!

The only thing that breaks my heart though ... is the sheer waste of good ale.

I suppose its a small sacrifice though!

A day at Chelsea.

2008-05-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I was reluctantly dragged to the Chelsea Flower Show by the long suffering. It's her little treat and once again she enjoyed her day out.

Me? Well if you think barging your way though hordes of yapping pseudo gardeners, paying a small mortgage for a cup of tea and a bun, looking at things that resemble film sets rather than somebody's back yard is fun ... then Chelseaq is for you.

The crowds are horrendous and the so-called "show" gardens are a million miles away from reality. I was just glad to get back to my veg pack - after I'd dragged the contents of numerous carrier bags across the flippin show!

I can't stand the place.

Back to reality, I spent the weekend in the garden - the first time for some weeks - and I decided to water my newly planted fruit trees, roses and shrubs regularly to help their root systems establish. I also gave them all a dose of Rootgrow - guaranteed to get them towering over the neighbours efforts!!

I also did some work weeding my borders and I stuck some young plants into pots and filled the old greenhouse. That'll give me the excuse to potter round the garden each evening - chcuk some water on my babies and have a couple of sneaky half pints in the shed whilst I'm at it.

Anyway - summer's almost here now - and I for one can't wait to get a bit of sun on my back.

Doggy Disaster

2008-06-02T04:39:00.001-07:00

The long suffering agreed to babysit her friend`s new puppy and guess who got lumbered with the flea ridden mutt as she went to the shops?

yep muggings here.

I was watching the mutt in the garden when the phone rang- when I returned the mutt was having a right old chew of my tomatos. Never seen anything like it in my life!! .

I tried to get him out of there quick but it was too late he had knocked four of them over splitting the stem right through.

I ve pinched out the end of the stems and, fingers crossed, there will be no lasting damage

Summers arrived

2008-06-16T02:36:00.001-07:00

I was out in the garden the other day taking advantage of the recent good weather. It`s been a long time coming and it probaly won`t last long so I thought I`d best make the most of it, putting in some much needed tlc to my vegetable patch.

The runner beans are shooting up now and it looks like I should have a good crop this year fingers crossed.

The strawberries have ripened up nicely so I picked a few for the long suffering before the slugs get them that will make her day a nice treat for tea time.
Another bit of good news, the tomato`s are starting to show signs of life after that blasted mutt knocked them all over. So all in all not a bad day in the garden.

I haven't gone away - I've just been cold!!

2008-01-23T23:31:00.001-08:00

Bunny problems are back!

Yep = those damned rabbits are back again. They might look pretty and cuddly but the pesky things are demolishing any new shoot as quickly as they appear.

It's the time of year when rabbits will have a go at almost anything, even plants they are not supposed to like.

Of course the only real cure is to fence and gate off the whole area but that means destroying the look of my dear old garden. I do put some small fences up to protect my special areas – they needn't be ugly but look OK if disguised in boundary hedges.

But I have found one solution to make the problem a little easier to bear.

Rabbit and sweet potato pie.

To paraphrase that turkey farmer - they're bootiful!

Gnome sweet gnome

2008-01-03T01:37:00.001-08:00

This flippin' awful weather is a real pain for somebody who likes to be out and about pottering.

So, I've taken the opportunity to do some gnome scrubbing this week. I've got a small collection of garden gnomes – not those horrid £4.99 plastic affairs but the proper article.

I also started reading a bit about them.

Did you know that the first appearance of a gnome in this country was in about 1840?

According to local myths gnomes are very lucky. It is documented in the 1870s that manufacture began on a large scale. Apparently they are meant to help around the house and garden, and in more isolated areas were meant to guard over produce and livestock.

Eventually, the European gnome creators became experts and masters of their work. During its most popular period a gnome factory in Griebel, Germany produced over 300 different characters.

The first gnomes were always characterised as gardeners carrying out daily country tasks, but this grew to fishermen, sportsmen, musicians and many more. Then they started to model ones from people still living out of clay or stoneware.

By the way, if you're thinking of selling your home, a study has concluded that a gnome in your front garden would lower the price of your house.

But who cares? They're happy. I'm happy - and she who must be obeyed is happy.

A cold 'un!

2007-11-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

By the left it's nippy out there!!

I've just come back in from a little session and I can hardly feel my fingers.

With winter well and truly on its way - another frost this morning, I decided to sort out a couple of fruit trees in the garden. You see I used to get a bit of bother from caterpillars - the little buggers used to lay their eggs on the branches and that plays havoc with the foliage, blossom and fruit in the spring.

Then I found a cracking way to spike their fun!

I just apply some glue and grease bands to the trunks of the trees - and that sorts them. You can buy ready-to-use glue or grease bands from your local garden centre - and it really does the trick.

I've also been out giving my roses a last once-over - cutting the climbers back and tieing in any growing tips. Finally, after a bit of nagging from the long-suffering I finally got round to lagging my greenhouse. The boss at Rootgrow let me 'borrow' a whole load of bubble wrap and that should save me a bob or two on my heating bills!

Mind you, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch with old Septic Knuckles - he'll probably squeeeze an hour or two extra out of me for the privelege!!

Brrr

2007-11-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

It's certainly turned nippy these last few days - but I always say when the nip is in the air, you've just got to work that bit harder. Mind you, you tell this to the kids today!

I had my brother's youngest Kylie-Dido or whatever her name is with us over the weekend. All tattoos and body piercing - just what is that all about? In my view, the only tattoos you should be able to see on a lady are those you shouldn't be able to see.

Anyway she came down with my brother and due to some happening twixt her and our kid she needed to take her mind off things and offered to help me in the garden. To be honest, I'd got loads to do and could have done without company. But as it happens it didn't matter - she spent the whole afternoon muttering 'whatever' and texting countless similarly work-challenged and tattooed mates.

What is the world coming to?

Anyway, it was another day of battening down the hatches. I decided to cleaning and sharpen my old tools beofre storing them carefully for the winter. I have a very careful routine for looking after my tools. First of all I give them a good clean in warm, soapy water and then dry them thoroughly.

All those with wooden handles get a light rub down with a bit of sand paper beofre sharpening then oiling the blades. I then tend to wrap them up in old horse blankets and whilst it might seem a bit excessive, when I take them out again for the spring, they'll be in perfect nick.

So that was my weekend done - I also put away the hoses after rinsing and checking for leaks. Then it was a good tidy of the borders and a sit down in front of the box with a cup of tea and a slab of the long-suffering's Ginger Cake.

And Kylie-Dido just sat there and chewed gum.

Bring back National service, I say.

What poppycock!!

2007-11-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

Apparently the trendies that seem to dictate how us chaps spend our spare time have a new ruse.

Eating flowers.

I kid you not.

A range of edible plants has been tested by Gardening Which? and those in the know have selected the best for taste as well as beauty to add a splash of colour and new flavour to many dishes.

They reckon that there are more than a hundred plants that have edible flowers and they can be used as garnishes, dried to flavour tea, crystallised to decorate cakes, infused in jars of vinegar, added fresh to salads or made into sauces.

The magazine suggests that if we are bored with proper food we should look to our gardens for inspiration. Part of their hare-brained conclusions include adding roses to our cooking. They were used first in medicines and later as stomach-settlers, mouth-fresheners and various natural remedies. Napoleon is reputed to have given his officers bags of rose petals to boil in white wine as a cure for lead poisoning caused by bullet wounds.

Another nutter claims deep-fried marigold with marrow, plus rose petals in jelly and nasturtiums in salad should also be part of our diet.

Let me just fire this warning shot across your bows.

The first time anybody tries to fob me off with a bunch of flowers for my tea, they get a taste of a Size 9 Timpson up their backside.

What on earth is the world coming too?

Look - it ain't rocket science and it's quite simple really. Vegetables are for eating, fruit is for nibbling - and flowers are for giving to the Long Suffering.

End of story!

At last - some time in my garden!

2007-10-24T11:27:00.003-07:00

The problem with loving your garden is that your enthusiasm isn't always shared by those who you love.

Hence me and the Long Suffering have a sometimes terse approach to what to do in our spare time. Let me tell you, the minute she finds herself with a few hours in hand she's off down the local shops as quick as you like.

Me?

I'd rather have toothache than traipse round the shops.

However, sometimes you just need to bank a few Brownie Points - which is how I came to be spotted whistling a tuneless song in some God-forsaken concrete bunker masquerading as a shopping centre over the last two weeks.

Now, though, having got myself firmly on the side of the righteous, it's time to turn my attention back to my garden - and I've already planned my weekend's tasks.

I'll be mulching my woody plants with around 3 inches of mulch -using the leaves provided by my own trees. So, I've plenty of raking to do this weekend.

Most of my tender plants will start being moved inside - making sure the leaves have been washed off to dislodge unwanted guests.

I then start to empty and store any pots, such as terra cotta or bird baths that might break when water freezes in them.

And then it's really just a quick tidy up. Raking up garden debris is essential to prevent the spread of insects and diseases. In addition to physically carrying away the insect eggs with the gathered debris, depriving insects of winter habits helps to control them. Fallen fruit and rotting vegetables will also get cleared away. Pots will be stacked, and anything that could shelter over-wintering snails will be put away.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, it will be yet another final cut of the lawn. God knows how many times I've said that - "I must give the lawn a final cut" - only to find another half inch of growth a week later!

Watch your seeds

2007-10-09T01:07:00.001-07:00

As many as 99 per cent of the seeds in packets are dead, according to a report published by the Consumer magazine Which?

The watchdog tested flower and vegetable seeds from 15 suppliers and found that only six companies met industry standards. The worst offender was Edwin Tucker and Sons Ltd with the test results showing that 99 per cent of its delphinium seeds were dead with the other one per cent unhealthy.

Now, obviously there’s is no way of knowing which seeds are healthy until you have planted them, but here’s my tips for minimising the risk:

Only buy your seeds fresh from a supplier you know well

Make sure you keep them out of the sun

Plant a selection of sizes to get a better range of qualities

And, of course, for the best chance of achieving gardening success – use Rootgrow. I keep telling you!

Well even a gardener gets a day or so off you know!

2007-10-07T04:58:00.000-07:00

I had a cracking couple of weeks last month - two weeks with my sister Dolly in Littlehampton where, I have to admit, I did absolutely nothing in the garden. In fact I didn't do an awful lot other than ferry her and the long-suffering backwards and forwards from shops and fancy stately homes and the like. I enjoyed a couple of bottles of ale now and again - but, to be honest, I've had a long old summer and I wanted a break.

The chaps at Rootgrow do work us hard you know – but I have to say that on my return I was looking forward to getting back into work and gardening mode - and then the lurgy struck! So, I've been on extended leave whilst my old bones and body get back to normal.

In the meantime, I've chucked a few shillings at the local kids to keep my old grass under control - and now that I’m back to fitness, I'm looking forward to a few weeks hard graft to prepare the place for what could be a long old winter.So what's on my list of things to do?

Well, I've been planting my spring bulbs - a nice mix of daffs, crocuses and hyacinths will be dug in this week. I'm also looking for my lad to bring me back some nice tulip bulbs after his little jaunt in Amsterdam this week. God knows, what state the bulbs - or he - will be in, but I'll take my chances! And naturally, I'll be using my staff perk - and putting a healthy dollop of Rootgrow in with them. Now, you watch those beauties grow!!

I've been sharpening the pruners too, to start attacking my roses - cutting back old flowering stems and tying in new shoots to the support. I've sown some sweet pea seeds in pots and these will go in my cold frame for the winter.

There's still plenty of goodies left in my garden too - and I'll be digging up more carrots, spuds and leeks for storage. Mind you, I only store the perfect specimens - my golden rule is to never store any produce showing signs of damage or infection.

The long-suffering has got one of those fancy cookbooks by some foreign bloke - and she now wants a load of herbs - so I've had to promise that I'll grow her some for use next year. So, into the greenhouse goes some Basil, Parsley and Oregano. I've told her she can start by using some of that mint and rosemary that's been around for years without her touching it. You can tell that I'm not a fancy food man can't you?

So that little lot will keep me busy for the next week or so.

Hard life isn't it?

A surprise in store

2007-09-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

What a welcome sight it was this weekend. I'd always planned an early start in the garden but I hadn't planned to be welcomed by the old lightbulb in the sky. I don't know about you, but even the most tedious of garden chores seems to be so much more bearable when the sun is shining.

So, I set off with some gusto and boy did I get some work done.

I put out some spring-flowering forget-me-nots and wallflowers - doing it now gives them time to establish themselves before winter. I also planted some border perennials and, of course, the Rootgrow was put to good use. I sometimes look at my neighbour's garden and I can't help but have a little chuckle when I see his stuff barely three quarters the size of mine. I keep telling him it's the old Rootgrow that helps - but he's a Yorkshireman and not too good at opening his wallet. He keeps throwing manure on his garden but he just doesn't measure up to me in the size brigade I can tell you!

I also gave my hedges a final trim before winter - and that's a chore that I can well do without I can tell you. (And here's a free hint - keep your Rootgrow well clear of your hedges, you're just storing up some hard graft for yourself!!).

I also had a good harvest - a few remaining plums that went straight into the kitchen for a fine plum crumble. And I took a few good buckets of fine Kent apples and pears - they'll be put to good use as well I can tell you!

Then I did a bit of work on the long-suffering's roses, nipping off the faded blooms and pruning them back. Finally, I had a good go at the lawn, giving it a smart cut, tidying the edges and repairing a couiple of patches.

And that was my weekend in the garden. And as I sat down to a satisying bottle of my favourite brew late yesterday afternoon I confess to wondering just how many more opportunities I'd have to do that before next year!

Grrrr!!

2007-09-01T04:50:00.000-07:00

I've had flood.

I've had slugs.

All I need now is pestilence and a plague and I think I've had the lot!

The latest irritant for me is the blessed cat from next door. Now, I'm not a great lover I have to admit, I'd much rather have my dog to walk with me rather than some mincing feline. But whilst I might not like cats - they seem to have an attraction to me! More to the point it will persist in using my garden as its litter tray.

Now, the experts will tell you that there are not too many effective ways of deal with this problem. One old local boy who used to suffer terribly tells me that vinegar is a cheap and effective way of scaring the cats because they hate the smell.

So, I tried it this morning - and it worked a treat.

I spotted the cat, crept up behind it - and stotted the beggar with the empty vinegar bottle.

I suspect it could be some time before it returns!

A perfect weekend - ruined!

2007-08-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

I normally like my Bank Holiday weekends. So long as I take the Long Suffering for an hour or so drive to the coast and treat her to some jellied eels, my weekend is my own.

I usually try and use the weekend as my last real big effort in the garden before the summer's gone - to all intents and purposes, summer has had it now and we've another winter to prepare for.

But there's still pleasure to get out of the garden and I was looking forward to a few hours pottering - when I noticed something wasn't quite right.

My lettuces had gone.

Not just the odd leaf on the odd plant - but every single one of the damn things gone.

Eaten by slugs!

Apparently we've been hit with a record number of slugs this year because of all the wet weather we've been having. Well they must have been waiting for me to turn my back - I've had no trouble with them at all until the weekend.

Some bright spark with nothing better to do has counted the slugs this year - and there are 15 billion of the blighters in our gardens this year. But it ain't just the slugs you see that are the problem - they eat twice their body weight every day and lay up to 100 eggs each.

I'm not a fan of slug pellets and I'm no believer in the beer trap either - I can't stand the things, so there's no way I'm going to waste beer on the flippin' things. I favour a couple of tricks to prevent slugs getting at my crops - and I've a couple of real mean killer tricks too! My old dad used to swear that if you surrounded the base of your plants with soot that'll stop them getting at the plant - but with soot a little more difficult to come by I've taken to planting strong smelling plants such as mint and garlic around the place - that spooks them too. Unfortunately I didn't practice what I preach this year and I've paid the consequences.

Mind you, I've got my own back on some of them. My expensive plants have a small ring of copper around the pots or the plant itself - that gives them a nice electric shock; I also sprinkle liberal qualities of All Bran around the place. The slugs love it but it kills them by expanding when they've eaten it!

I'll teach 'em to eat my salad!