Snails and Slugs

[Estelle N]

I'm a newbie gardener so still getting my head around all this but one thing I have come to dislike heavily is snails and slugs. Is there an organic solution to these little blighters? also I've seen this copper tape stuff anyone know if it works?

[David Earle]

Tui make a product called Quash which is very safe to use and highly effective. It wiped out the snails in our garden. And it is "less toxic than table salt".

[Ruth OSullivan]

I lie small boards about the garden and check under them everyday (when theres a bad infestation) and squash any slugs or feed them to my chooks. Also for snails prop up upsidedown tins or small plant pots on a stone so the snails think youve left them a nice house to live in!! Its a matter of keeping on top of them Ive found. They never really go away, you just have to manage them! Chooks love them though!

[Kali]

yes both replies are good ones, I would add that going out after dark with a torch is the best way to find them and catch them at it, as they hide from the sun during the day. at times we have collected whole icecream containers full of snails and fed them to the chooks until they were sick of them. If they weren't so creepy I'd eat them. apparently copper gives them electric shocks, i haven't tried that though. some people swear by putting crushed eggshells or coffee grounds, or dry sand around seedlings.

[David Earle]

I have seen the sharp sand idea tested on TV and the snails quite happier glided right over it. They are much tougher than they look.
Beer traps can work, but I have never got large numbers that way.
I once order "escargot" at a restaurant and deeply regretted it - they didn't have much taste and looked all too much like the real thing!

[Lisa L]

I tried the beer traps, the dog loved it! the snails didn't get a look in!

[Ruth OSullivan]

if you live in a high rainfall area the beer traps are useless.
Honestly, the best way to keep on top of slugs and snails is the old fashioned labour intensive way - daily squashing!! One year I had a massive infestation of slugs and that was the only way I got on top of them. Now I just leave a few boards around the garden and check on them from time to time and deal to the slugs that way. It really works!!
Im also planning on having a go at putting tin cans, with bottoms and tops removed, over brassica seedlings to see if that keeps them at bay.
I'd be interested if anyone has any other suggestions I could try too!!

[David Bell]

An old faithful. Leave out some lids or low containers with some beer in them. They have a drink, and then get caught by the sun.

[Brigid]

look under all the pots and tubs where they hide and squash them works to help keep them in check as well as using the board method

[Julie-Rose EUING]

I used a perimetre of sawdust to good effect. I simply put lots of wet newspaper round the bed - coz the grass border was growing so well with the water - an covered the whole thing deeply with sawdust. The next season you can scrape this off an add it to the garden bed an lay another lot of paper an sawdust to keep the grass down. But do make sure youv got no sneaky ones already inside the 'sawdust ring of confidence.' I had great success with lot's of seedling trays straight down on the ground which was covered with a thick layer of sawdust.

[SCES]

Go out at night with a head lamp strapped on and catch them with your fingers. Nothing is as effective. Dispose of them in the manner of your choice.