Written and edited by Tammy 9th March 2023
With the beautiful drop of rain, we've had in the last few days freshening everything up, clearly, it's not just me who appreciates it, snails do too.
Within no time at all of a fresh shower of rain, snails appear out of nowhere. They're crawling up the colourbond fence, around the rim of your pots and making a beeline straight for the veggie patch, and... pretty much anything else they can get into. Nothing is off the menu!
Snails tend to be nocturnal (unless it's raining) of course, so if you go outside with a torch at night, you'd find them actively moving around in the cool damp night air. They need moisture and humidity otherwise their bodies dry out, so throughout the day they remain hidden under a rock, piece of timber or anywhere out of view where they're not exposed to the threat of drying out.
So, what do we do about them destroying everything in sight?
The last thing we do is resort to chemical pesticides or insecticides.
Start out with some cultural practices.
Go out after dark with a torch and a bucket when they're active, collect as many as you can and drown them in some water with a bit of dish liquid if you're not upto squashing them. (I get a bit grossed out about squashing them too)
Let the chooks and ducks out for a bit of time to free range, they'll do the hard yards for you! If it's not practical to do so, or you're not keen on letting them scratch up the garden, just throw the snails over the fence into the pen for them.
Try putting out beer traps. If you don't have beer in your fridge, dissolve some vegemite in water, they love the yeast and are drawn to it. In the morning you'll be able to dispose of a heap of them in one go when you refresh the trap.
You could also try putting some copper tape around the trunks of small trees and shrubs to prevent them climbing up and getting into the foliage. A scattering of crushed eggshells around the base of plants can aid in the same way. Both these options create a physical barrier that is unpleasant for them to crawl across.
Don't forget the natural predators too. Snails make up part of the daily diet for some of our other welcomed wildlife, lizards and birds.
Lastly, If the snail numbers really are out of hand and you need to resort chemical intervention, consider using a pet and wildlife safe option. Try the Multicrop product called Multiguard Snail and Slug Killer. Use it sparingly and sensibly according to the manufacturer's directions on the label.
The food chain is a delicate balance, if we take one thing out altogether, something else will then either starve or potentially breed up to uncontainable numbers. It's about keeping everything in balance.
Enjoy your gardens and have a wonderful weekend!😘🪴🌸
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