PHOTO: © Rick Wetherbee

problem solver

Slugs

IDENTIFICATION — These creatures can be ¼ to 7 in. long, and may be gray, orange, yellow, brown or black, with stripes or other markings.?(The one in the photo at left is a banana slug.) Slugs are found almost everywhere, but prefer cool, moist areas like shade gardens or greenhouses.

DAMAGE — Slugs’ rasping mouthparts chew long, ragged holes in leaves. They can also damage or kill small seedlings and leave holes in fruits and vegetables.

CONTROL — Rake debris from beds in spring to remove slug eggs. Diatomaceous earth sprinkled on soil repels slugs because the sharp edges poke their soft bodies. Copper strips around plants repel them, too, as the strips generate tiny electrical charges that slugs don’t like. (You can buy both products at garden centers.)

For a bad infestation, you may need to use slug bait. Be careful to keep them away from children and pets.

plant pick

Fernleaf bleeding heart
Dicentra hybrids

From midspring to fall, fernleaf bleeding heart’s arching flower stems dangle delicate blooms above bunches of lacy foliage. Most flowers have shades of red or pink, like ‘Luxuriant’, at left, but it’s possible to find white bloomers, like ‘Snowdrift’.

Bleeding heart is easy to care for. Deadheading? Optional. Dividing in spring? Optional. Staking? Unnecessary. In fact, with just a 3-in. layer of compost placed over the roots in spring, and a consistent watering schedule, this hardy plant will be happy! However, it does reseed readily, so if you don’t want a large stand of bleeding heart, pull seedlings in spring. If you plan on letting this perennial set seed, keep in mind that it can hybridize easily. Plant more than one cultivar in your garden, and you may get a surprise mix of flower colors next year.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 1 to 2 ft. tall and 18 in. wide BLOOM Red, pink or white blooms from spring to fall LIGHT Part to full shade SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 8; Heat: AHS zones 8 to 1

Learn about other great perennials in Great Plant Combos Made Easy at right!