Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Natural repellants
• Method 2 of 3: Adjust your gardening routine
• Method 3 of 3: With pesticides
• Tips

Snails can be a real ailment because they eat the plants, flowers and vegetables in the garden. Fortunately, there are many natural and other ways to get rid of snails.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Natural repellants

1. Make beer traps. One of the best known and most effective ways to get rid of snails is to make beer traps. You do that like this:
   • Put dishes, bowls or buckets (depending on how big the problem is!) With cheap beer in the garden and leave it overnight.
   • The snails will come to the smell of the beer and climb into the bowl / bucket. This causes them to get drunk, fall into the bucket and drown.
   • If you're not keen on wasting fine beer on the snails, you can also make a similar trap by mixing grape juice or water with half a teaspoon of yeast and a tablespoon of sugar.
2. Try to use copper. Many gardeners and landscapers use copper to repel (naked) snails. You can use the copper in one of two ways:
   • You can buy copper tape at the garden center. You can wrap these around the garden, the vegetable strip, or the flowers. You can also choose to sprinkle nickels around the plants you are trying to protect.
   • Copper repels slag because there is a chemical reaction between the metal and the slime as the slag moves. This gives the snail a nasty electro-neural signal that feels like an electric shock.
3. Sprinkle eggshell pieces in the garden. Gardeners and landscapers also often choose to sprinkle pieces of eggshell on the soil around delicate plants.
   • The eggshells have sharp edges that hurt the snail's delicate body. That is why they will prefer not to climb over it, and thus avoid the vulnerable plants
   • This is an extremely green way to control snails, all the more so because the eggshells contain calcium that nourishes the earth.
4. Use coffee. Research by the US Department of Agriculture shows that coffee is extremely effective in the control of (naked) snails. It can be used in one of two ways.
   • You can put cold coffee in a spray bottle and spray it over plants, leaves, soil, and even the snails themselves.
   • You can also choose to sprinkle coffee grounds around your plants. This will also benefit the earth.
5. Encourage snail-hunting animals. One way to discourage the snails is to encourage other animals to enter your yard.
   • Think of toads and frogs, which you can invite by putting earthenware toad houses in the garden. Turtles and salamanders also love snails, as do most birds (robins in particular).
   • Allow ducks and chickens to walk in the yard. Ducks and chickens will also eat the (naked) snails. In fact, they are very nutritious to them. However, caution is advised, as ducks and chickens can also ruin the plants by eating or trampling them.
6. Use diatomaceous earth (celite). Diatomaceous earth is a great solution for getting rid of snails. Just make sure you buy the non-toxic version that is suitable for consumption.
   • Diatomaceous earth is a powdered rock made from fossils of small sea creatures. It has very fine, sharp edges that can hurt the snail's body.
   • You can sprinkle the diatomaceous earth over the soil. However, its effectiveness is limited when it gets wet. If you have watered the plants, or if it has rained, you should apply a fresh layer.
7. Use other deterrents
   • Ground ginger, talcum powder, burnt wood ashes or lime. Dryer fluff can also be used to deter snails, as can animal hair or fur.
   • Pick up and remove the snails. Putting the snails six meters away from the garden is just as effective as controlling it.

Method 2 of 3: Adjust your gardening routine

1. Adjust how often / how much you water. Snails prefer moist soil. They can move on it easier and faster.
   • By watering your plants in the morning, instead of in the afternoon or evening, you ensure that the soil is already reasonably dry in the evening.
   • This makes it a lot more difficult for the snails to move. This can result in a reduction of no less than 80%.
2. Rake the soil regularly. Regularly raking the soil around the plants and flowers will destroy any snail eggs in the soil. This could drastically reduce the future snail population.
3. Remove debris from under the plants. Snails like to squeeze in nooks and crannies. So get rid of waste and junk from under your plants and flowers. As a result, the snails can hide less well, so that they will be less inclined to settle there.
4. Use landscaping materials such as wood chips and gravel. Certain landscaping supplies, such as wood chips, gravel, and sand, make it difficult for snails to move. This way you can prevent the snails from settling in your garden.
5. Grow snail-repelling plants. Certain flowers, plants and herbs are said to deter snails. So consider planting it in the garden. Think of flowers such as freesia, azaleas, daylilies, foxgloves, tansy and hibiscus; and herbs such as mint, rosemary, fennel, parsley and basil.
6. Pick the snails off the plants manually. This method takes some time, but is guaranteed to get the snails out of the garden. Pick the snails off the plants by hand. It's best to do this early in the morning or late at night - that's when they're most active.
   • There are two ways in which you can deal with the snails that have been picked up. You can crush them right away, or you can transfer them in a bucket to another location - somewhere where your plants aren't!
   • You can speed up the process by placing an earthenware pot upside down in the garden and leaving it overnight. The snails will settle below so you can catch many of them in the morning and at once.

Method 3 of 3: With pesticides

1. Use metaldehyde. Metaldehyde is a natural compound that is used as a pesticide against (naked) snails and other gastropods. It is extremely effective, but also poisonous. Do not use it in gardens where cats and / or dogs roam, or where there is a risk that children could eat it.
2. Use iron phosphate. Iron phosphate is a mollusciscid that is used to kill (naked) snails. Iron phosphate is the main active ingredient in most pesticides. It is also only harmful to (naked) snails, and therefore an excellent option for people with children and / or pets.
3. Make garlic spray. Squeeze some garlic and mix it with water. Let the garlic "marinate" for a few hours. Pour the mixture into a plant sprayer and spray flowers, plants and herbs with it - this way you have a natural pesticide against (naked) snails.

Tips

• If you do not have time to solve the snail problem yourself, you can of course always contact the pest control. Companies that specialize in this often offer specific services that combat snails.
• You can also try sprinkling salt in the garden every day. Look at the wholesaler for large quantities of salt for a low price. If you have sprinklers, sprinkle some salt in the garden every day - the water from the sprinklers will wash away the salt. By the way, keep the salt reasonably away from the plants. If you don't, the salt can damage the plants.