How to Get Rid of Snails

Snails can be a real garden pest, as they munch through your plants, flowers and vegetables. Luckily, there are many options at your disposal - natural and otherwise - for getting rid of snails.

EditSteps

EditUsing Natural Snail Repellents

Make beer traps. One of the most well-known and effective ways to get rid of snails is to make beer traps. To make:
- Place saucers, bowls or buckets (depending on the size of your problem!) of cheap beer in your garden and leave overnight.
- The snails will be attracted to the smell of the beer and climb into the saucer/bucket, where they will become intoxicated by the alcohol, fall in and drown.
- If you aren't keen on wasting perfectly good beer on your garden snails, you can also make similar traps using grape juice or water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of yeast and a tablespoon of sugar.^[1]

Try using copper. Copper is used by many gardeners to repel snails and slugs. You can use copper in one of two ways:
- You can buy copper tape at a plant nursery and wind it around the perimeter of your vegetable patch or flower bed, or you can simple sprinkle copper pennies around the base of the plants you are trying to protect.
- Copper repels snails due to a reaction between the metal and the mucous (or slime) produced by the snail as it moves. This sends the snail an unpleasant electro-neural signal, which basically feels like an electric shock.^[2]

Sprinkle crushed egg shells. Another effective method many gardeners use to repel snails and slugs is to sprinkle crushed egg shells on the earth surrounding the vulnerable plants.
- The egg shells have sharp edges which feel unpleasant under the snails' soft bodies, so they will avoid climbing over them to get to the plants.
- This is a particularly green way of repelling snails, as the egg shells contain plenty of calcium which nourishes your soil.^[3]

Use coffee. Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have shown that coffee is extremely effective at repelling and killing snails and slugs, It can be used in one of two ways:
- You can place cooled coffee in a spray bottle and use it to spritz plants, leaves, soil and even the snails themselves.
- Alternatively, you can sprinkle coffee grounds around the base of the plants you wish to protect from snails. This will also help to enrich the soil.

Encourage snail predators. One way to discourage snails is to encourage other garden creatures who snack on snails.
- These include toads and frogs, who you can invite into your garden using ceramic toad houses. Turtles, garter snakes and salamanders are also believed to enjoy snails, in addition to most birds (especially robins).
- Allow ducks and chickens to roam your garden. Ducks and chickens will also eat snails and slugs, and they are actually quite nutritious for them. However, ducks and chickens might trample or eat the plants as well, so be careful with this one!

Use diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is great solution for getting rid of snails. Just be sure to buy the non-toxic, food grade version.
- Diatomaceous earth is a type of powdered rock made from the fossils of tiny sea organisms. It has very fine, sharp edges which is harmful to the snails' soft bodies.
- Diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled on the soil surrounding plants and flower beds. However, it becomes much less effective when wet, so a fresh layer will need to be reapplied after watering your plants or following rainfall.^[3]

Use other deterrents. The list of items people use to kill or deter snails goes on and on. Some other popular substances include:
- Powdered ginger, talcum powder, ashes from burnt wood or lime. Lint from a clothes dryer can be used to deter snails, in addition to animal hair or fur.

EditChanging Your Gardening Routine

Change your watering schedule. Snails prefer moist earth, as it is easier for them to travel over and they can move faster.
- Simply by watering your plants in the morning, instead of late afternoon or evening, you will ensure that the soil is slightly dried out by the time night falls.
- This makes it much harder for the snails to get around, and can actually reduce their presence by up to 80%.^[3]

Frequently till the soil. Frequently tilling the soil around your plants and flower beds using a rake or cultivator fork is a good idea, as it will kill off any snail eggs in the soil. This can significantly reduce future snail populations.

Clear any debris from under plants. Snails like to hide in any nooks and crannies they can find, so clear away debris from underneath plants and flowers. This will leave the snails more exposed, and therefore less inclined to make a home there.

Use landscaping materials like wood chips and gravel. Certain landscaping materials, such as wood chips, gravel and sand, are difficult for snails to climb over, and can deter them from making a home in your garden.

Grow plants that repel snails. Certain flowers, plants and herbs are believed to be unappealing to snails, so think about introducing them to your garden. These include flowers such as freesias, daylilies, azaleas, foxglove, tansy and hibiscus, and herbs such as mint, rosemary, fennel, parsley and basil.^[4]

Hand pick the snails from your plants. One time-consuming but surefire method of removing snails from your garden is to physically pick them off your plants by hand. The best time to do this is in the early morning or late evening, as this is when they will be most active.
- There are two ways of dealing with snails once you've picked them. You can either crush them immediately, or you can place them in a bucket and transport them to another location - somewhere away from your plants!
- A faster way of hand picking the snails is to place upside-down ceramic pots in your garden and leave them overnight. The snails will gather underneath it, so in the morning you'll be able to catch many of them in one go.

EditUsing Pesticides

Use metaldehyde. Metaldehyde is a natural compound which is used as a pesticide for killing snails, slugs and other gastropods. It is highly effective, however it is also toxic, so it should not be used in home gardens where pets such as cats or dogs are allowed to roam freely, or where it runs the risk of being consumed by small children.^[5]

Use iron phosphate. Iron phospate is a molluscicide used for killing slugs and snails. It is the main ingredient in commercial slug repellents (such as Sluggo Plus) and as it is only harmful to slugs and snails, it is a much better option for people with children and pets.^[6]

EditTips

If you don't have time to deal with a garden snail infestation yourself, you can always call pest control. They should offer snail services and rid your garden of snails for you.

You can also try sprinkling your yard with salt every day. This is a good system because you can not see the salt in your yard. You can go to 'Costco' and buy large tubs of 'Kirkland' salt for a good price. If snails dare to go in your yard covered in salt, they will dry out and die. Make sure to sprinkle the salt every day because your sprinklers will wash the salt away. Continue doing this, and you should have a snail free yard.