Overnight count - about 15 small slugs and one snail.

Any hints on keeping potted basil alive? I seem to kill mine very easily.

Could you be overwatering, Steph?

Now, for those of us who have to deal with deer and chipmunks, here's the recipe you need:

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
1 Tbsp. dish soap
a few dashes of hot sauce, like Tabasco

Put it all in an empty gallon milk jug, put the cap on tight, and shake shake it baby shake it shake it now. Let age to perfection, say at least a week. Fill a spray bottle with it and apply. It lasts through rains, up to a month.

Hey! That's my Pancake recipe you've stolen.

I don't like (those) pancakes.

We are just about over the danger of a hard frost. Here's the new garden a few minutes ago.

I have yet to keep one basil plant alive, ever. Ground, pot - neither work for me.

Rosemary and chives grow like weeds though.

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I love love love the tulips.

Basil has worked fairly well for us in pots over summer. I think it does best when we keep it wet and regularly cut large leaves for the bunnies, leaving the buds to grow more. As soon as the temp drops they die.

My best pest solution I use is Diamateceous Earth. I also employ beer, tobasco/oil spray and egg shells around the base of plants (snails and slugs don't like to crawl over them). I also staple gritty sandpaper strips around the edge of planters. They don't like to crawl over that either.