I can't resist another dahlia picture! Can you see the hoverfly on the lower flower? That's one of the reasons why I like this Bishop's Children variety -- the open flowers are great for insects.
And as you can see, my miniature plant stands arrived yesterday from Amazon, so the plants are off the ground and hopefully less accessible to slugs. Of course a slug can still climb up that thing but at least it's a little harder. I went out and checked the plants just now and they weren't molested overnight, but then it was pretty dry last night and slugs don't appear to have been on the move. Let's see what happens when it rains. (Today, supposedly.)
Dave was gone most of yesterday for medical appointments, so Olga and I were hanging around the house by ourselves. I got out our leftover paint -- from when we had the flat painted six years ago -- and touched up a few spots on the walls that had been bothering me. When I opened up the paint can I was surprised to find our small paint roller still inside it! After our renovations last summer I remember wondering what had happened to it -- I always assumed the painters took it. But no, they just left it in the can!
The paint lasted well, a quality it does seem to have now that it never used to. It sounds like the roller was already loaded with paint and ready to roll.
ReplyDeleteI love the little plant stands and hope it deters the slugs. Love seeing Olga relaxing. Is the paint roller still useable?
ReplyDeleteTo get rid of slugs I suggest an elephant gun. You'll need to sit out over night with a torch and a flask of hot coffee and blast the little blighters to smithereens when you spot them lurching up your new slug stands.
ReplyDeleteI am very interested to hear of any success of your slug repellent stands. Yesterday, I picked slugs from two flowering amaryllis in pots on a friend's balcony - on the third floor.
ReplyDeleteBut maybe London slugs are earthbound and lack any climbing skills.
Anyway, these stands look lovely and I hope it works for you.
I thought the missing roller was one of your hair rollers. Is the paint roller still usable? Our place needs a lot of touching up. That’s another charming garden and Olga photo.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that a slug puts very little thought in what they climb.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope your slug repellents work. I suppose slugs have a place in the ecology, but I don't know what it can be.
ReplyDeleteSo the painters, the professionals, left the roller in the can? Crazy.
ReplyDeleteThe plant stands are cool, and hopefully dissuade slugs.
Hopefully the stands work and your dahlias will be safe. We have a problem here with scarlet lily beetles and I finally just gave up and pulled out my lilies.
ReplyDeletethat is a small roller if it fits inside a paint can. I've been thinking about touching up a few spots myself in the little bathroom.
ReplyDeleteback when my sister and I were going to estate sales I always looked for plant stands. it's how I got all the ones I have.
The plant stands look good and Olga looks lovely sitting out there in the shade on her purple cushion!
ReplyDeleteI've only had slugs one time. they wee a nuisance.
ReplyDeleteI've never really noticed slugs being a problem in Florida. I wonder if it's just too hot for them.
ReplyDeleteI like your plant stands. I have no snails/slugs but I recall reading that a dish of beer on the ground attracts the snails/slugs helping to protect the plants.
ReplyDeleteI love those gorgeous flowers! It looks like Olga is questioning what you are up to. Those plant stands look great.
ReplyDeleteYour potted plants look - elevated- and more important on the Amazon stands. Ours are large so are on platters with wheels- Drained through a one inch diameter hose at the bottom. NO slugs here they can not climb the stairs.
ReplyDeleteI can not imagine leaving the little roller in the paint can- I am not a professional painter and even I know how to care for painting gear. Good thing you needed touch up or you never would have found it.
Even if they don't deter the slugs, the new little stands look great! I think you might have been disturbing Olga's nap in the process of getting that photo. I assume you knelt down to take it, so perhaps she was wondering if she needed to come over there and help you.
ReplyDeleteYour dahlia picture is stunning, and the hoverfly adds such a nice touch! It’s great to hear that the new plant stands are helping keep the slugs at bay. Touching up the walls and finding the roller must have been a pleasant surprise. It sounds like you had a productive day with Olga!
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That Dahlia is such a beautiful color!
ReplyDeleteOlga looks like a grumpy old lady you disturbed!☹️
Let us know if lifting the pots off the ground make a difference.
ReplyDeleteThat dahlia is such a nice color.
I like those plant stands! They just left it in the paint can? WTH?
ReplyDeleteThose mini-plant stands are great. I might have to get something like that for next year. And as for the dahlias -- keep 'em coming. It's a short season!
ReplyDeleteAndrew: I'll say it was loaded! I had to scrape a lot off!
ReplyDeleteRiver: Yeah, once I removed the excess paint and washed it off it was fine.
YP: That would be a viscerally satisfying experience.
Sabine: Wow! How on earth did a slug get up that high? I mean, I know they can climb, but that's crazy.
Mitchell: Ha! It's been a long, long time since I could ever have used a hair roller.
Ed: I'm sure not! I assume they can detect plants that would be delicious to them, but I have no idea how.
Boud: I think they mainly break down old vegetation and other detritus. Which is valuable on some level, I suppose.
Bob: YES! I couldn't believe it either. I wish I'd thought to check there a year ago, but no damage was done.
Pixie: We have a problem with those on certain lilies -- stargazers and crown imperial fritillarias -- but they don't seem to bother my Asiatic lilies.
Ellen: It's a small roller and a big paint can. :)
Ellen D: She was trying to figure out what I was doing, I think!
Red: I'm amazed they can survive the winters where you are.
Ms Moon: Yeah, I don't remember seeing a lot of them when I lived there. They don't like heat or drying out, so it's possible.
Susan: Yeah, beer traps like that work, but then you have to empty out old beer and drowned slugs. Argh!
Sharon: She was definitely mystified about why I was on the ground.
Linda Sue: I suppose it wouldn't have been a huge loss to never find it -- after all, we've been without it for a year! But it was a nice surprise.
Kelly: Exactly -- I got down low and she got concerned!
Melody: Thanks for visiting! I will check it out!
Marcia: That pretty much describes her. LOL
Debby: I will let you know! I imagine they'll get nibbled a bit but I think it will be better than having them on the ground.
Margaret: WTH is right!
Jeanie: It IS! I'm deadheading so I'm hoping to keep those flowers coming.