ChatterBank3 mins ago
Snails and lots of them!!!!!
13 Answers
Any ideas on getting rid of the influx of snails in the garden over the last couple of years?
They are taking over the garden!!
Answers
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In reference to the above answer, I read an article in a gardening mag, where the columnist collected as many snails as she could from her garden, painted their shells, and dumped them some miles away, she gave it about a month, checked her garden, and taking into account the ones that would have been eaten, crushed etc, at least 50% had returned,.
the conclusion was that snails have a homing instint.
Hi paulineward, that was a true article, but I did post it 'tongue in cheek',
There are a number of things you could try, and 'try' is the operative word, I use Copper Rings an Tape to keep them off my plants, it works a treat, but the initial outlay is a bit expensive,
One thing not to do, is to use pellets or beer traps, these things are designed to attract the little perishers, so even though they do work, you also get them coming in from elsewhere as well
They are a pest ...I use copper rings round some plants with good results and also vaseline smeared round pots and tubs. Crushed eggshells,hair ,my own and the dogs hair.Sharp sand ..you name it I've tried it. I don't use pellets because of the dog and the birds or beer traps. I collect them up if there are a lot and throw them on the shed roof ..any thrushes soon home in !! I have been known to put cabbage and cauli stalks and leaves out so they eat that and leave my plants alone ! Swines ! It's a losing battle.
Big problem. No simple solution.
If you're not too squeamish, kill them rather than rehome. Stamp on them or poor boiling water on them in a bucket. Or dig a hole and bury them alive.
If you are squeamish (and I am) go to the source. Snails have to breed somewhere so check out damp areas in the garden or wet plants where they could be lurking beneath, putting on weight and planning their assault. At this time of the year in my garden I often find little colonies beneath new shoots on perennials.
I also put them upsidedown on paths to give the birds a treat....
Snails lay about 80 eggs each, maybe 6 times a year - thats a lot of snails - so if you can find them all then you will get rid of them. Try to encourage wild birds in as above, they will eat the pest, and garlic granules are actually menat to be effective - breaks down to a sulphur compound that deters snails - good garden centres should stock them or buy online.
Natural control by diatomaceous earth products - basically crushed diatoms (fossil sea shells) in earth - claim total success (one site at: http://www.aboutde.co.uk/category.do?category=48 or try a good garden centre) or also try woodash around plants ) again, sulphurous and poor surface for them - if the snails cant get to their food they will creep off elsewhere. Also remove places they can shelter such as any bits of wood or stones they can get under to shelter - make the place less friendly.
I dug up an old shrub bed last year and was amazed by how many snails and slugs I found. They lurk at the base and under the shrubs. So far this year, the area I cleared has been slug free. I often go out in the evening when we have had rain (especially after a dry spell) on a slug hunt, armed with a handful of salt. The salt makes them, well explode I suppose, but it does kill them. Not very nice but then neither are pellets. As we now have a green recycling collection, I now put them in there and think that they can at least gorge themselves on the garden waste and die happy.
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