how can i stop snails from eating my vegetables?

Answer 1

Build a pond and place some frogs in it. Encourage a Hedgehog to take up residence. Try to get a few Thrushes and Blackbirds in.
Apart from that, copper rings, sand and grit, anything sharp edged.
Try not to use pesticides and pellets.

Answer 2

I agree with the beer,also the ashes, unfortunately slug pellets kill the birds who eat the dying snails too. Gravel spread round plants will stop them but has it's obvious drawbacks horticultural or sandpit sand has the same effect as ashes if that is easier for you to obtain. Also put in a pond encourage frogs they eat snails and slugs. encourage birds too it all helps. Good luck.

Answer 3

I stick a load of other stuff that they like to eat around the plants I wish to protect. Apple cores, lettuce - the downside is you probably end up attracting more slugs and snails but at least you don't end up killing dozens of the little critters! Like the wood ash idea by Steve B, I'm going to try that one.

Answer 4

Pellets work well, the beer tubs give very good results, fire ash as a barrier excelent mixed with broken egg shells brill, but you will still find the odd one or two still get through, my brother and I on our allotment used to play cricket with them, he would bowl and I would bat with my spade, I will let you guess where the snail participated in the game

Answer 5

I have used wood ashes and saw no dead slugs or snails. I tried beer with the same result. I like the pellets and granules, but I'm afraid that my dog might eat them. I go out at dusk with my salt shaker and sprinkle salt on the lousy intruders. I have heard that you can put copper strips around your beds and they won't cross over the copper.

Answer 6

I was not successful with beer so bought crushed sea shells last year to put barrier round plants -not at all bad - managed to grow courgettes for first time in years. Don't throw snails over the hedge - they are homing creatures and return (apparently their trail is highly scented and they can recognise it)!

Answer 7

Simply use beer. Save some can lids, or cut yogurt cups to about 1" in height. Fill them with beer. The snails crawl in, drink the beer, get drunk, and drown. We have used this in our hosta beds for years and it really works well.

Answer 8

Have not tried the ashes, good Idea. We used to use diatomacious earth. Beer works quite well for catching them. Bury the container where it is flush with ground level and pour in the beer.

Do not use salt, it will kill the plants as well.

Answer 9

beer! little tubs of it they love it failing that a eco way is cut an orange in half and leave it they all climb on for a feed and you can pick it up with them on and move them away, apparently the average garden can house over 1,000 snails!! good luck! lol

Answer 10

Last year I tried all the "green" options and they just don't work. In the end I resorted to going out in the green and chopping the buggers in half with my trowel. There were hundreds of the little .........!

This year I'm back to slug pellets.