Herbs and snails
 

i have the most dreadful snail problem. They are eating my basil, geranium, carrots, lettuce, spinach and marigolds. My local nursery recommended tobacco dust, which I have sprinkled but they just seem to try and find a way around it - it's driving me crazy. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 08:46:21 +0000, Lee-Ann
wrote:

i have the most dreadful snail problem. They are eating my basil,
geranium, carrots, lettuce, spinach and marigolds. My local nursery
recommended tobacco dust, which I have sprinkled but they just seem to
try and find a way around it - it's driving me crazy. Any suggestions
would be most appreciated.

I don't know if it's available in the UK, but I've used Sluggo,
an iron phosphate based product, against slugs and it's
worked very well.

Here's a site with some information, but you can google up
plenty of others.

http://www.pestproducts.com/sluggo.htm


Penelope

In article 1108476409.a8171c385a39f1ff4298affe1caf4a21@teran ews,
Lee-Ann wrote:

i have the most dreadful snail problem. They are eating my basil,
geranium, carrots, lettuce, spinach and marigolds. My local nursery
recommended tobacco dust, which I have sprinkled but they just seem to
try and find a way around it - it's driving me crazy. Any suggestions
would be most appreciated.

If you don't want to use any poison snail baits,
dishes of beer have worked well for us here.
They seem to prefer the dark ale the most. ;-)

Try planting a few pennyroyal plants around as well. Once those
get established it helps also.

Kat

--
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On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 08:46:21 +0000, Lee-Ann
wrote:


i have the most dreadful snail problem. They are eating my basil,
geranium, carrots, lettuce, spinach and marigolds. My local nursery
recommended tobacco dust, which I have sprinkled but they just seem to
try and find a way around it - it's driving me crazy. Any suggestions
would be most appreciated.

Tobacco dust sounds like it could be poisonous to some creatures.
Commercial preparations using iron phosphate are available, and have
been very effective for me. Sluggo is one, I use Escar-Go from Gardens
Alive! http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2111



-- Mr Gardener
-- Zone 5 - On The Maine Coast

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 08:46:21 +0000, Lee-Ann
wrote:


i have the most dreadful snail problem. They are eating my basil,
geranium, carrots, lettuce, spinach and marigolds. My local nursery
recommended tobacco dust, which I have sprinkled but they just seem to
try and find a way around it - it's driving me crazy. Any suggestions
would be most appreciated.

Tobacco dust sounds like it could be poisonous to some creatures.
Commercial preparations using iron phosphate are available, and have
been very effective for me. Sluggo is one, I use Escar-Go from Gardens
Alive! http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2111



-- Mr Gardener
-- Zone 5 - On The Maine Coast

I agree that Beer works well. Place shallow trays (about 1- 2 cm) with
vertical sides in the garden and fill with beer. Pick the dead ones out or
pour them out and refill every few days. Drink what will not fit in the
trays.

I have also had good luck with Diatomaceous Earth. It works well here
during the dry season. It must be replaced after each rain, so I don't use
it as often in the spring.

Rich McKinney