Snails
Scientific Name
Gastropoda
Description
Snails are soft-bodied mollusks that feed on tender plant tissues, leaving behind irregular holes and slimy trails. They thrive in moist conditions and can cause significant damage in garden beds.
Characteristics
Featuring a spiral shell and a slimy body, snails chew through leaves and stems, often leaving behind unsightly trails of mucus. Their feeding can lead to rapid defoliation in vulnerable plants.
Control Methods
- Organic sprays: Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around plant bases or apply homemade garlic and hot pepper sprays to deter snail activity.
- Cultural practices: Utilize companion planting with repellent species like garlic and chives, and practice crop rotation to reduce favorable conditions for snails.
- Preventive methods: Reduce garden moisture by ensuring proper drainage and removing debris that serves as snail habitat. Limit overwatering and clear ground cover regularly.
- Biological controls: Encourage natural predators such as birds, ground beetles, and small mammals which feed on snails.
- Mechanical physical: Hand-pick snails during damp evenings, install copper barriers around plants, and set beer traps to lure and drown them.
Natural Enemies
- Birds
- Ground Beetles
- Small Mammals