How To Get Rid of Snails Naturally?
Despite their destructive tendencies, snails play an important role in the ecosystem so if possible we would advise you to preferably use the below-touted methods to keep the snails away from certain garden plants rather than eliminating them all.
So by several of these control methods, we will show you how to get rid of garden snails without harming them:
1. Hand-Picking
This method is not for the squeamish and faint-hearted, but it is an effective solution when done regularly on top of being environmentally friendly without killing snails. Wear your gardening gloves to make the task less unpleasant and pick off the snails every time you see them.
You will have greater success handpicking early in the morning or after dusk because they are more active during this time and won't be hiding. Collect them in a bucket and you can either throw them away or use them to make compost with their feces making nitrogen and mineral-rich fertilizer.
2. Eggshells
This common kitchen waste item is a treasure trove not only in organic gardening but also to also get rid of snails in garden. When crushed, the eggshells create a sharp, rough, and jagged surface creating a barrier that they are reluctant to cross. Snails do not like crawling over sharp surfaces as they can cut into the snails' soft bodies.
Ensure that the eggshell barrier is a few inches thick for it to work. Plus, they also enrich your soil with calcium strengthening your plant cell walls, keeping them healthy, and providing better defenses against pests and diseases.
3. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth consists of fine white powder made from fossilized remains of ancient aquatic organisms known as diatoms. It is non-toxic and eco-friendly. This powder gets under the joints and shells of mollusks, causing them dehydration and discomfort.
Sprinkle them around your garden to form a protective barrier. Once they come into contact, they will learn to avoid it thus keeping your plants damage free. Remember to reapply after heavy rain, it can get washed away.
4. Ground Coffee
Alternatively, if Diatomaceous Earth is too expensive or not available in your area then you could use grounded coffee beans as a repellent. The caffeine in coffee is toxic to the pests which will make them avoid crawling over the grounds, caffeine content evaporates quickly making them less effective than the previous solution.
Additionally, coffee grounds enrich your soil with nitrogen benefitting your plant growth but can also result in nutritional imbalance so use them sparingly.
5. Copper
When thinking of how to get rid of garden snails, copper is an extraordinarily failureproof deterrent when it comes to repelling snails. When a snail comes into contact with copper, their slime reacts with the copper creating a small mild electric shock that discourages them from crossing the barrier.
Use copper tapes to create borders or wrap around the base of your plant to create a harmless non-toxic solution. Don't use copper strips or shavings as copper toxicity affects seed germination and root development.
6. Recycled Wool Waste
You can turn wool waste which is a by-product of the wool manufacturing process into a viable natural anti-snail repellent. Turn the waste wool into pellets and spread them around your plants as a barrier, especially seedlings and perennials.
When moistened by the snail's slime, these pellets swell up and reveal nasty fibers that poke into the tiny critters and act as a natural irritant against snails. Moreover, these pellets are bio-degradable and over time act as plant food after breaking down.
7. Gravel or Bark Mulch
Snails love to hang out in moist and shady spots in the garden, so if you apply leafy mulch they will attract the snails. Moreover, the mulch-protected plants are often done for the vulnerable bunch making these snails even more devastating.
Instead use gravel, bark, and woodchips for mulching to create a barrier with irregular and sharp surfaces that are difficult for them to slide over. Plus, these top coats also look stunning in natural-styled gardens for aesthetics.
8. Seaweed
If you are near the ocean, then you already have access to a great snail repellent right on your doorstep! Buy or collect the washed-up seaweed off the shoreline and create mulch out of it by chopping it. Use them as mulch or mix it into the top layer of your soil around your plants.
Seaweed smells like iodine which deters snails as it reminds them of salt. Plus it adds nutrients to the soil when it decays, adding many trace nutrients that are difficult to get naturally.
9. Repelling Plants
Geraniums have beautiful flowering that produces a scent that snails find unattractive. Mint, lavender, rosemary, garlic, sage, parsley, thyme, and chives are all versatile aromatic, and fragrant herbs that produce a strong smell that is unappetizing and heavily off-putting to the snail making them an excellent choice for creating a snail-proof garden.
Furthermore, chives' leaves can even be tied to vulnerable plants to ward off snails. Consider planting ferns as a decoy near the border as their leathery leaves are unpalatable to the snails.
10. Attracting Plants
Snails are fond of basil, beans, cabbage, hostas, leafy greens, dahlias, marigolds, chamomile seedlings, and strawberries. While most of the plants on this list are high-maintenance or consumable/commercial plants which makes them unfeasible to use as traps.
Some of them such as lettuce, chamomile, and marigolds are easy to grow, cheap, and low-maintenance enough to make them viable for making snail traps. Plant them along the edges of your garden to lure the snails away and keep them fed on fodder. Handpick them to move away or use for composting.
11. Use Drip Irrigation/Soaker Hose
Drip irrigation or a soaker hose is a great system to use and keep the snails off your plants. Because snails love moisture, doing overhead watering will cause the pooling of water on the leaves which attracts the snails.
Furthermore, the timing of watering matters as well. Always water in the morning or use drip irrigation or soaker hoses with timers for the morning so the soil has sufficient time to dry out by midday, denying them walkways. If you have a very severe snail problem, consider having a dry garden by growing drought-tolerant plants.
12. Eliminate Shade and Moist Spots
Snails love to hang out in shady and moist spots in your garden which well, can be your entire garden, and in tandem with their love of hiding it can be very difficult to search for and find snails. They will also hide under logs, branches, and piles of fallen leaves to lay their eggs.
To make the garden less hospitable, eliminate heavily leaf-mulched areas with shade and moisture by using bark/woodchips or keeping them thin. Also, remove plant debris and dead leaves from the garden.
13. Improve Airflow
Consider improving the airflow and circulation in your garden. Of course, this method isn't preferable for plants that require high moisture but for gardens containing plants that do not necessarily require high moisture. To improve airflow you can divide and thin your plants or simply space them further to allow the garden soil surface to dry out more efficiently.
By having the areas between plants drier, it will discourage the encroachment of snails in your garden by preventing them from being used as pathways.
