Leaves & Slugs

[AmyParticipant]

Hello, Charles! I need some advice, please!

Last Fall we prepared a patch of grass-covered ground for (hopefully) Spring/Summer planting of peonies, dahlias, and sunflowers. We laid down cardboard and then put our mulched up leaves over the top. I went to check on it today and pulled back a corner where the cardboard hadn’t quite decomposed as much as the middle and the first thing I saw was a slug. The middle of the patch looks pretty good; the cardboard has decomposed and the soil has good-ish tilthe. The attached photos show the entire patch, the slug, and the middle of the bed once the leaves are pushed aside. So my questions are…

1) What do I need to do to have this patch ready for planting? Remove the leaves? Then spread fresh compost?
2) Did I totally mess up and create a breeding ground for slugs? How will this effect my spring/summer planting?

Thank you in advance!
Amy

[charlesModerator]

Amy, you have done a thorough job on the weeds, number one priority.
Now I would indeed rake off the leaves, ideal for composting with any green leaves, coffee grounds, fresh manure etc. Remove/cut any slugs you see!
Then spread some compost, say 2in/5cm and by time of planting those flowers, slug numbers will be much less.
Stay vigilant with dusk patrols for the week or two after planting.
May your summer be flowery.

[Author]

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