Everything You Need To Know About Getting Rid Of Snails And Slugs
Snails and slugs are a menace. Beware if you live in a moisture laden area of the country as they love the dampness. Even in relatively dry areas snails and slugs can be found early in the morning.
Plant sweet herbs and watch them thrive, but keep an eye open for holes on the delicate leaves. Those little fat crawlers come out when you least expect them. The trail of slimy goo left behind becomes a sign for every other snail around to follow to the feast.
When you attempt to track down the snails, they have already returned to their little hideaways to make babies – thousands of them. To make matters worse, this happens over and over again. They hatch in 10-20 days, and come out starving! Voracious eaters, they can be full grown and making their own babies within 6 weeks.
Look for their eggs – they look like tiny clusters of whitish jelly-filled BB-sized balls. Quick! Shake salt on them as fast as you can. They will be destroyed before they hatch.
Snails and slugs live for several years, getting larger each year. The more they eat, the more they grow, so destroy them as quickly as you can.
Gardening in backyard greenhouses will definitely help keep those slimy visitors away from your precious plants. If you have a stand-alone or even a leanto greenhouse with vegetables and herbs you will fine fewer instances of the ugly creatures.
Fat and bold, if they can creep in when your back is turned, they will make babies inside.Wherever you see that shiny trail, follow! Look under leaves, under pots, anywhere moisture collects.
Once you find them, there are several weapons you can use.
Oat bran does not do well in their digestive tract and will kill them when they eat it.
Broken eggshells will kill the slugs when they crawl over the sharp edges.
A bowl full of beer will drown them.
If you plant certain herbs they will repel snails and slugs. Growing in abundance in your greenhouse, the slugs will make a fast exit. Rosemary, lemon balm, mint, lavender and thyme will all help to chase them out.
Keep on top of the problem, you will never have to resort to poisons. In the confines of a greenhouse, herbs will usually do the trick. If you get a serious infestation and need to take drastic measures, use all the above solutions at the same time. If you do that, you can avoid ever using poison.
If all else fails, buy a greenhouse and get a hedgehog or a duck. The quacking may get a bit annoying, but the snails won’t be happy either.
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