Snail & Slug Control

The bane of most gardeners lives, snails are responsible for a huge amount of damage to garden plants, especially seedlings. The most common snail is the brown garden snail. They feed on seedlings & other soft leaved plants.

Snail bait contains one of two poisons, metaldehyde and methiocarb, both of these can be fatal to children, domesticated pets & native animals if ingested. These products typically contain around 3% poison & the rest contains a 'bait' such as bran or molasses which is not only attractive to snails & slugs but also other animals. Bait may also come in powder form, which sticks to your pet's coat & paws & may be licked off.

There is a new snail & slug bait which is non toxic to children & animals. It contains iron phosphate and goes by the brand name 'Sluggo'.

The best method to control snails & slugs is a multi-faceted approach beginning with deterring them in the first place.

Deterring snails & slugs & hand removal:

• Snail & slug breeding grounds should be cleared. Snails live in dark, damp places such as under rocks, wood, plant pots, dense beds & weeds. Remove all debris from gardens to deter snails & slugs.

• If you have the time, hand remove snails & slugs & drop in a container of soapy water to kill. Do this in the evening, when snails & slugs are most active.

• Create snail & slug friendly traps such as upside down plant pots & cardboard. Hand remove as above. Set these traps away from areas with seedlings, fruit & vegetables. Regularly check & dispose of found in the traps.

 At first you will need to hand remove snails & slugs daily, but as the population declines this can be performed less frequently. 

Poisons:

• Place containers with beer around the garden. Snails are attracted to the beer, will climb in & drown.

• Caffeine is highly toxic to snails & slugs. Mix 10 parts water to 1 part espresso coffee & spray on your plants. Re-apply after rain. [1]

• Go outside in the evening when snails are most active & sprinkle with salt.

Barriers:

• Copper wire or tape can deter snails as they receive a small shock when they come into contact with it. This can be placed around pots, tree trunks,

• Snails don't like to crawl over rough surfaces. Place a barrier around your garden bed. Add a 2 inch layer of crushed eggshells.

• Other barriers include sawdust,  crushed pumice, diatomaceous earth.

• You may have to re-apply the above after rain.

Predators:

• Chickens, geese & ducks eat snails.

Watering schedule:

• As has already been mentioned, snails & slugs are most active in the evening. Water your garden in the morning, so that the surface has dried out by the night time. Obviously, this depends on current water restrictions in your area.