Four easy ways to get rid of snails - smart garden

Get rid of snails

Protect your plants from these slimy guys! Here are our simple, non-toxic options to get rid of slugs in your garden. Strolling through the garden, you may find your hostas look like Swiss cheese. Who could have committed such a crime? Likely culprit: snails. These slender, coarse-toothed scoundrels prefer moist, shady conditions and lush new growth. These globes of goo are hard on hostas, but they're not desirable—you can find them on other plants, too.

I've battled a lot of slugs in the garden gate test garden and have a few control tips to share. Of course, you can use slug bait. Most of today's baits are not as toxic as older formulations. But I stick to non-toxic options as much as I can. These four low-impact techniques do a good job of keeping slugs away from my most prized plants, and none of these methods harm beneficial insects, pets, or people. Read on, then get out into the garden to rid your garden of these slimy pests!

Traps

Instead of picking slugs off your plants one by one, use food or hiding places to collect them in one spot, then drop them into a bucket of soapy water, feed them to your chickens, or (eek!) squish them underfoot.

Let them eat oranges

Snails love citrus! Buy inexpensive oranges or grapefruits for slug traps, or use the peel left over after juicing the oranges. Leave citrus halves near vulnerable plants—snails are usually busy jumping off hostas to explore this fresh offering. Check your citrus traps once a day so slugs don't have a chance to return to your plants. Throw the spent skins in your compost pile, but get rid of the snails first!

I am very board

A plank on the ground in a shady spot might not look like much to you, but it looks like a great place for snails to spend the day. Place a 1- or 2-foot-long board under the plants to create a moist, shady hiding place that attracts lots of snails. Snails are active at night, but on hot days, they retreat under mulch, rocks... or board traps. Check the trap in the afternoon when the snails are enjoying their siesta under your board.

Obstacles

After keeping slugs away from your plants, you don't want them sneaking up the minute your back is turned. These easy barriers keep pests at bay.

Shocking results

When snails come into contact with copper, it shocks them – scientists think the slug slime reacts with the copper to create a shock. You can buy copper strips and tape to use in the garden. They last for years and you can reuse them. I like to use strips around tender young plants to give them a chance to establish themselves. But you can use strips around larger plants. Make sure no leaves outside the copper strip touch the ground, as snails can use them as "bridges" to reach other parts of the plant. It's a good idea to polish your copper strips occasionally—research indicates that bright, shiny copper is more effective than strips that have begun to rust. Want a cheaper alternative to copper strips? I've had good luck with copper pan scrubbers (such as the Sour Boy® brand) from the grocery store. These copper mesh bundles can be pulled into long, thin ribbons and pressed into the soil around the plant, as I did in the inset of the photo. (If you have trouble making contact with the soil, attach them to landscaping pins.) When using these scrubbers, I think the sharp edges are just as unappealing to snails as the copper. Make sure the ends overlap so there are no gaps to let the snails in.

Diatoms to the rescue

Yes, I said diatoms. Diatomaceous earth is a white powdery substance composed of the crushed shells of fossilized diatoms, small hard-shelled algae-like plants. What does that have to do with snails? Well, diatomaceous earth is abrasive. It creates small cuts in the tender abdomens of snails and slugs, causing them to dry out and die - no more holes in hostas!

You toast with cinnamon sugar As with planting, lightly sprinkle diatomaceous earth under the drip line of hostas and other shade plants. Be sure to completely surround the plant with a 5- or 6-inch-wide strip of diatomaceous earth. You have to reapply it after it rains because it gets washed into the soil. Be careful when you use it - you don't want those little abrasive particles in your lungs, so don't forget to wear a dust mask and gloves.

And here you have it. These four easy-to-use methods will keep slugs (and their better-guarded cousins, slugs) from doing their worst to your prized plants. You don't have to worry about storing poisonous slug bait in the garden shed!