Campanula
By Newkid
London, United Kingdom
Hello everyone,
Apologies in advance as I seem to have a few questions to ask:
1. I planted some campanula (blue clips and white clips) last year but I'm not sure what the leaves should look like. I don't know if I'm cultivating a lovely crop of weeds which are stifling the campanula
2. Can aquilega seed themselves? I planted some last year and I noticed while weeding today that there are leaves very similar to the aquilega leaves away from where I planted. Is this just another weed?
3. If you use slug pellets on lettuces etc is the food fit for human consumption? Any suggestions on how I might keep the slugs away from my seedlings when I plant them out.
Thanks for your help and advice.
- 15 Apr, 2009
Answers
question 3. put grit round lettuce or broken egg shells, as long as the pellets are round the lettuce and not on them i don't see a problem you are going to wash them well anyway i would think, i dont like slug pellets sometimes birds eat the snails then they get poisned, you could also try beer traps, dig a hole for a jam jar or small bowl put some beer (not lager) in the jar or bowl and the little blighters jump in and die with a smile on their face!!! Don't forget to empty the traps though every morning!
15 Apr, 2009
question 3, slug pellets do work, but not recommended around crops also they are very affective at killing slugs but also kill the wild birds that eat the slugs there are allot of alternatives these days if you grow the lettuces in a pot a copper strip around the outside will stop any slugs. also salt is very good, hope this helps
15 Apr, 2009
Newkid - sorry but what do you mean by 'blue clips and white clips'? So far as what the leaves should look like it really depends on which campanula you planted.
15 Apr, 2009
It's Campanula Carpatica, Moon grower.
Newkid, if you do a search for campanula blue chips on Google images a couple of the pictures show the leaves quite clearly.
15 Apr, 2009
Oooooh, please don't use slug pellets (sobs) They are so awful for wildlife, especially hedgehogs. The hedgehogs eat the slugs that have eaten the pellets and die a horrible slow death, hic.
Another alternative, is to mix compost with soil and plant in a pot. The raised area makes it harder for slugs to get to the seedlings. I also don't put seedlings down, I wait til the plant is tougher and less nice for the slugs to eat.
Small, sharp grit is another thing to put round the base of plants. Or soft drink bottles, cut in half. You could pop theses over each area every night and take off during the day.
Another option is to take the torch every night and hand pick off the slugs, then drown them in a bucket with a little water and salt.
15 Apr, 2009
Just a quick answer to No 2. Yes aquilegia will seed themselves , and all over the place sometimes too
15 Apr, 2009