WHERE HAVE ALL THE WILD LIFE GONE,

It isn't just the animal kingdom that is affected, Dungy, I am sure they impact on the evolution of plants as well.
I think gardeners are well aware of the danger of weedkillers to wildlife and most take this into consideration when considering using chemicals in the garden. Overall I think gardeners have improved the lot of wildlife; many of us nurture by feeding not just the birds and provide 'homes' for all sorts of creatures, but also improve the lot of the plants growing in our gardens too.
Industry is more aware of its impact on nature too, although economics is still the controlling factor there.
I expect mankind is doing far more harm to the environment in ways that we are not aware of at the moment, as our 'progress' steams ahead. It was ever thus and probably ever will be, after all we are only part of the animal kingdom ourselves.
That is not to say we shouldn't endeavour to live with nature without impinging on its welfare.

Slugs affected by slug bait are eaten by birds, not the slug bait. Thats the poison that kills them. Organic slug bait will not kill birds.
Best to use slug bait on an old saucer
placed under the netting that covers the plants.
When the slugs are dead, remove the saucer and dispose of dead slugs safely.

We had a very sad story in our local paper last night,as someone has used a poison in a local wood,where people take their dogs,and children walking....apparently it is thought to be Strychnine,which was banned several years ago,but is still used illegally to kill moles..One family were out with their three dogs,and two of them died within minutes of ingesting it,in agony..The lady works at a local vets,but they died before she could even get them to the practice..the third little dog is ok..I am appalled that someone would do such a thing..it doesn't bear thinking about..where else will you feel safe to enjoy time out as a family,with such cruel sadistic people like these around? I know it isn't what your blog is about,Dungy..but it just seems relevant about the use of dangerous substances..

as a gardener we all have to make choices, I prefer to use plants that are not eaten by slugs( see my blog for list of plants I have in my garden that do not get eaten, there are quite a lot) those that do get eaten I pot up in plastic pots then put them in copper buckets eg hostas Pansy's, slugs get a shock from copper and this really works. its not easy keeping a garden free of pests by it can be achieved

Am so sorry to read about the dogs. Stricter controls should be enforced by local Govt. then maybe they would not died in vain.
Be interested to hear what has been done about it.

Thats awful Bloomer

The only time I used slug pellets was when I had a infestation of snails in the greenhouse.......
I suppose I,ve gone organic as for the last couple of summers and maybe winters we have a resident toad in there, last year I put him out three times but he came back so
I left him, I set out the grobags the other day for the toms and he hopped out of my way......

Pamg,
Thats not a toad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a prince just waiting for his moment
so dont chuck him out, after all he likes your greenhouse and if he couldn't live there he may end up in a right hole?

(Toad in the hole "got it" )

Hi xela,
And well said, and you are right,
this year its the "Bee's that we are being warned about next year who knows.

The point im trying to get over to people is we the small gardener's are buying millions of £'s of chemicle's for the garden, and just like people shop in the big super markets they buy without really shopping,
ie they see a pkt of something and the next thing its in the trolly without thought,
We've just seen how good these huge companies really are by the horse meat in all kinds of meat products & a lot came from the very poor countries,
Money is the big factor here "not" your health or mine,

I can give you a receipe for weed killing thats been in use for many many years & no harmful chemicle involved .

It's no good when your life has been effected saying i told you so, "now's the time to listern" and then its up to you to decide what road you take and how you go about it.
In the late 1960's when it was decided to do something ref smoke pouring out of the chimnies and smokeles fuel was introduced, people moaned then, But the air in a lot of places is a lot cleaner & safer than its ever been .

Thanks for you help in replying with an honest reply.

Hello Taz,
Its nice to talk to you and your doing something for the good of gardening,

I feel one of the problems is the new to gardening are in a lot of cases a generation behind myself and its the thing thats a "Now" thing,
ie I want instant results, i want fame and money,

Life is all about having what it took my parents a life time of going to work to get to we're they are today "i want now"

Ive met so many ex-pats here in france who tell me how lucky i am and they want to know how i managed to live our (two of us not just myself) life style !
Have a big garden, drive a car like the one i have, and retired at 53 yrs of age.

Simple, i left school at 15 never didnt work,
never put my hand out for state payouts,
And put up with going to work even when i hated the job at the time,

It's exactly the same with the gardening, nobody said its easy, you have days when you have to look ahead of what your doing this day ie clearing the land, for what you can do tomorrow and those results you want.

If all your going to do is keep trying for the easy way of gardening ie by using this to kill that and buy this because some body said it will grow everything bigger & better in less time with no effort "Then your not gardening"
your following somebody's instructions and you'll know little if anything about gardening.

Age is a good thing in as much it helps when it comes to experience,
You cant have experience without some time being used to learn.
Ive yet to meet the 5 year old who's left school with a degree in anything.
By reading what you yourself "Taz" have done and how you've gone about it makes me sit up and listern,
Well done and please keep us all informed of your future
skills.
Regards Dugy.

Hi bloomer,
And what can i say,
If you read the northwales news on the inter-net thread you'll see that anti-freeze is again being put into saucers of milk and fed to cats,
the local RSPCA. have had lots of cats in the past couple of months killed in this way,
the chemicle in the antifreez makes the kidney bleed, its a slow horrible death,
I understand some people dont like cats "but" thats no good reason to do this.

I dont want to go off subject "But" at times im glad we're not like the USA when it comes to anyone can own a gun,

I think members of this forum know what im saying here.

Lets enjoy our gardening and learn why we have insects
and weeds etc,
A weed is a plant in the wrong place "thats all" dont put your health at risk because you want to go against mother nature,
If you want to remove weeds ? read/learn what any plants need to live and you'll soon understand chemicles are a man made thing and nature was & is here long before man.
Nature and how it deals with what we think are garden problems has all the answers just waiting for you to learn and pass on.

We have had the same problem with anti freeze around our area over the past few months,Dungy..lots of cats have died in this way..maybe unintentional,if they have let it drip accidentally whilst using it..but it just makes you wonder...:o((..I don't have a cat myself,but a quick clap of the hands soon sends them scurrying off home..if I see them,that is..luckily they don't seem to want to use my garden,they prefer next door ! Lol..

what a terrible thing to happen to those dogs, and a terrible thing to do to cats too! I'm not a fan of cats, they do a lot of damage to my garden, they've stopped me feeding the birds and leave their mess in my borders, but I'd never hurt one.
I'm in full agreement with Taz, best to grow plants that don't encourage the pests, that's the way I'm going anyway.

As for weeds, I tend to hand pull them, though I only have a small garden so can do that. I don't use chemicals on the lawn either, I hand weed the dandelions, all that bending down is good exercise!:)

My young cat died last summer, he went missing and we found him over a week later, curled up in a quiet spot in my partner's garden. The last time I had seen him he was dribbling, he was inclined too this when purring happily. In retrospect we assume he had eaten something poisonous and just took himself off to be alone. It may have been garden chemicals or rat poison put down in the stables opposite. So sad, he was a wonderful companion. I miss him a lot.