Although we were forecast frost last month, and subsequently harvested all our squashes, it's not till this weekend it actually touched down. The son, daughter and I all visited the allotment that morning to do a little sheet mulch and clear back some of the encroaching brambles and it was cold! It's maybe a little early for it, but a frost in the garden and allotment means death to slugs and snails. Or at least a setback in the population, so I definitely need some good hard frosts in winter.
Speaking of slugs and snails, every time I turn something over or pull something out at the allotment, I uncover an unholy amount of them. I really desperately need some frost, but the best thing would be some concentrated duck action there--and for that I need some secure fencing. I had hoped this would be the year, but funds don't allow it; maybe next year.
However, my own garden is well fenced and my two remaining ducks (Girl Duck and Boy Duck) have been free ranging for a few weeks. I still have some veg in the beds but the only thing I've excluded them from is the pak choy, about five or so heads surrounded in temporary wire. I would really like to let the chickens free range too, but I don't trust them around the remaining veg; unlike ducks who are mainly focused on slugs and bugs--and don't scratch up the soil--chickens much prefer plants and I don't dare let them at my radishes, fennel, chard, etc, unsupervised.
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