How to get rid of snails by natural means |
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Every season the joy over the first sprouted plants in your garden is spoiled by the damage caused by snails.
Holes in young lettuce and zucchini leaves, damaged half-ripe strawberries, holes on chard and slime visible on tomato stems is an image which almost all gardeners have seen.
A persistent pest called snails has assaulted many crops and the gardeners are worried that the solution proven useful last year may not be effective this season.
Here is a plenty of advice for protecting your garden naturally from these little pests and for making them leave as soon as possible.
These fences are used by eco producers, herbalists, professional gardeners, as well as experienced growers of fruits and vegetables who are using their great-grandmas and granddads methods.
1. Barriers
If you wish a great protection from pests, plant a garden in form of raised beds. If you have already planted them on the ground, protect it from snails with a barrier, which you can build from and old board, tough fabric, piece of cardboard and other materials.
This will prevent most snails from getting into the bed, while you will be able to remove easily those which climb on the barrier.
2. Aromatic protective fence
Persistent pests like snails may be driven away by plants due to the fact that snails do not like some plants' smell and other plants' leaf texture.
Plants like sage, mustard, fern, ricinus, poppy and nasturtium will drive away the snails with their smell so plant them near the crops you want to protect.
You may plant them as a natural, decorative fence around the whole garden.
You can place leaves of these plants into the bed for additional protection.
Protect beds with leafy vegetables by planting around them horseradish, thyme, onion and garlic, since snails are put off by their smell too.
Snails dislike plants with hairy and shiny leafes so these may also be used as a natural protection from these pests.
3. Collecting
You may collect snails manually and physically remove them from your garden early in the morning or in the evening, when they feed.
Unfortunately, this method doesn't produce lasting results so you will have to repeat it frequently.
Ova metoda, nažalost, nije dugotrajna, pa ćete je vrlo često ponavljati.
4. Protection by biological waste
If you surround or fill a bed with bio waste, sawdust, ashes, pine needles or coffee residue, you may prevent some snail species from feasting on your fruits and vegetables.
Snails will not like how they feel on their skin so they will avoid them.
If you live by the sea, use seagrass, as snails dislike salt. Bury it shallow near a bed, but not too close to stems to avoid the salt harming the crops you grow.
When it gets dry and starts decomposing, its texture will be another reason why snails will stay away from the area.
You can protect your garden with a quality diatomite, also known as diatomaceous earth, which you can sprinkle around the beds or the plants themselves. Use it during dry weather, since it is more effective then.
5. Baits
Some of the natural solutions include baits which will attract snails and facilitate their removal from the garden.
Plant marigolds, since it is the snails' favourite treat. You'll be able to collect them while they feed.
Place stones, specially pebbles, by the beds. In the morning you will find snails under them.
Prepare a feast for the snails. Near the beds bury shallowly orange, lemon, grapefruit, apple peels or salad remains and cover with material.
The snails will come to feast and you can collect and remove them in the morning.
If you don't have fruit and vegetable remains, an ordinary cardboard will do. Leave it on the ground and snails will hide under it during the day.
6. Natural predators
Invite a hedgehog to your garden. Make a suitable habitat from wood or branches and allow the hedgehog to resolve your issue with snails, which are a part of its diet, in exchange for your hospitality.
If you can, let a chicken, duck or goose into the garden seeing that they also eat snails.
Over the past several years, the Indian runner duck has grown in popularity since it causes less damage than other poultry, as it does not ruin crops while searching for snails.
Other animals that feed on snails are nightingale, robin, thrush, starling, white wagtail, carabi, snakes, frogs, turtles and lizards,
7. Coper wire
In some cases, an ordinary copper wire will serve as an obstacle for snails.
Place it in two layers as a fence around the bed or by the plants themselves.
Snails don't like how copper feels. One of the reasons may be a reaction between their slime and copper.
Try these methods, find the best ones for your garden and share with us your experiences in the struggle with these small pests.
The sources used in this article include:
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