Garden Medley

Keeping the snails under control in your garden in some areas can be a lot of work. They appear by the dozens or even hundreds a day for many gardeners. Getting rid of them takes patience and persistence.

If you have children, this is one job they can be trained to help with. Snails are easy to pick up and many kids are fascinated by bugs of any sort anyhow. Have them collect the snails in a bucket or old coffee can.

My mother’s way of handling snails was to simply pour salt over them. It leaves a rather disgusting mess, and you may prefer to be more compassionate. If you prefer you can take the snails someplace far from your garden and release them. Some preschool classes may also occasionally keep a tank of snails for educational purposes. As I noted above, kids love bugs.

It may take weeks to get your snails under control. They’re generally all over the place, and it can be amazing how many there are in some areas. Learn where they tend to spend a lot of time, such as inside certain plants or under leaves. It will make the search much easier.

You can, if you like use snail bait, but the problem with that is that it is BAIT, and may attract more snails even as it kills them. If you’re trying to keep things organic and environmentally friendly, you probably won’t want to use this, even though it doesn’t go right on your plants. It’s still a poison and may not be safe for other animals or children.

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