Slugs!

The lettuce patch is where these slimy little guys hang out.
Last year I was afraid to touch the slugs in my garden, but when you are in a war, you get desensitized. Now I go out every morning, collect the newspaper, take it out of its protective plastic bag, then go to my garden, pick slugs like they were strawberries, toss them in the bag, and throw the bag in the garden.

By doing this daily, I've cut my slug damage to minimal, but I notice if I stop for a few days, they come back quick.

I've also been spreading dog hair around the lettuce. It doesn't harm the slugs that are already there, but at least it helps keep new slugs from moving in.

If this week's heat didn't kill you fungus, these things will

Earlier this month I had a problem with Early Blight (i.e. brown spots) on my tomatoes. This is a fungus that can effect the leaf, stem and fruit. If you see it, remove damaged leaves and stems. Then spritz the plant with a good anti-fungal spray. Most garden stores should have a vegetable safe, natural option. After taking both these steps, my tomatoes are quickly coming back to life. They are green and leafy, and I even have a few dollar-sized fruit.

I also had a problem, and usually do, with powdery mildew on my cucumbers. It's a fungus on the leaves that makes them crack and turn a sort of dusty white. There's a simple fix. Mix baking soda with water in a spray bottle and spray the leaves. The change in PH will kill the rot. It shouldn't come back in the summer heat. If it does, you might be watering your cucumbers too much.