Snails In My Organic Garden
Well winter is really upon us here in South Australia. We are still getting some sunny days, but every time it rains (which I am truely grateful for) out come the snails and slugs! Because I choose to grow my garden organically, I’ve have to come up with chemical-free methods to control pests.
There are several methods that I’ve read to capture snails and slugs, but they don’t seem too friendly for my garden. Such as gathering up the slimy little buggers in a container and smothering them with salt. But then what do you do with them when they die? If you put the gooey mess anywhere in your garden, you’re going to make it really salty in that area and nothing will grow there. We don’t want any areas like that in the garden!
Anyway, I was in our local hardware store and discovered this snail and slug trap that works a treat – and it was only $6.95. You can make your own though from any plastic container really.
Pretty simple really… you just bury it making sure the lip of the bottom section sits level with the ground. Half fill it with beer (stale is fine, they’re not fussy), or lettuce or cabbage leaves with a soapy liquid around them and that’s it.
Then all you need do is check it every few days and remove the snails and replace the bait. I just throw mine to my chickens – seems they’ll eat just about anything… drunk snails, or should I say “marinated”.
So give it a go in your organic garden, then you won’t have holes in your favourite organically grown vegetables.
Happy Organic Gardening, Healthy Living…
Julie
Filed under: Uncategorized on June 19th, 2008
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