Hello from Seattle!

[Nocturnal]

Hello,

Just joining so I can talk about my garden-y problems and projects. My main issues here in Cascadia are vehicle sized slugs, endless downpours of rain, cloudy skies, shady shade trees, clay soils, and the occasional deer. My brothers have recently cleared a patch of land at the top of the retention wall between ours and our neighbors properties (this bit actually belongs to us) on the south side of our property, and I'm excited at the prospects it brings. The soil up there is rocky and hard-pan and not much, plus our weeds here are the devil, so I'm considering just laying down a good layer of cardboard and trying hay-bale gardening up there this season. I'll talk more about this in composting and stuff. Oh, speaking of neighbors, my neighbors are gardeners too... they've got probably 400 pot plants in the garage right beside my new planting area. Hopefully the skunky-death fumes pouring out of that building don't have an affect on my veggie garden.

On the other side of my property, in the shade, I have two plastic raised garden boxes... one I have planted with strawberries, the other in which I plan to raise kale and lettuces. This is of course right near the border of the swampland that surrounds our property, and in shade for a good portion of the day, so the slug battles here are fierce, as are the weed battles.

My main problem is soil and soil amendments. I have a rabbit that's producing what I'd call good fodder, but I've never been quite sure what to do with the chicken stuff as it's mostly wood shavings and our "compost" pile in the back is mostly just all that compacted with some lawn trimmings.


Anyway... I hope that was an interesting story for you. A little about me... female, 24, 30 minutes north of Seattle. Got 7 dogs, 8 parrots, a bunny, a cat, and 12 chickens. Yeah.

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum @Nocturnal! Great to have you here. If you get a chance, it's really helpful if you update your Hardiness Zone in your profile

vehicle sized slugs

 

[Nocturnal]

Oh, I'll have to do some research to figure that one out. I can't remember what it was... I used to know. It's something like 8b or something like that. But I don't trust it. Stuff that's supposed to survive here often doesn't if we get a slightly harsh winter or excessive rain one year. >.>

Yeah and on the slugs... I apologize for the hyperbole but honestly you'd have to see them to believe them! Then again you appear to be from the UK, so you may very well know!!!

 

[Beverly]

A warm welcome to you Nocturnal. I have a link here to the thread "Best ways to keep slugs out of the garden". I found a lot of good ideas here and chose the copper tubing because it best suits my garden and copper tubing is not expensive where i live, but there are many more ideas and maybe one will suit you. I've seen Seattle slugs, and i've seen Juneau, Alaska slugs, and i've seen banana slugs...so i believe you. Try this thread on for size. I understand what you are up against. Glad to have you here. There is a great community of gardeners here.

https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/best-way-to-keep-slugs-out-of-garden.7082/

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Hello and welcome. I visit your area often, was just there last September to stay with my cousins who lives near Federal Way. Have you ever been to Heronswood Nursery, up North from you. Loved those gardens. Your blessed to be able to grow other Hydrandges as you zone is higher than mine.

 

[Sheal]

Welcome Nocturnal. It seems you have a menagerie to look after as well as a challenging garden.

 

[Trellum]

Welcome to the forum Nice t have you here! I am looking forward to seeing the pictures of your garden projects I find that kind of pictures so interesting!