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Snails at midnight . . .

This year, for whatever reason, has been the worst year in my memory for slimy pests. Perhaps it's been the first real wet Winter and Spring we've had for years in California. Who knows?

Well, I was seeing peculiar damage to new Sarracenia pitchers and couldn't quite tell what had been doing it -- until last night. Just after midnight, catching some air, I saw that one of the taller flower stalks was arcing like a damn metronome -- and there was no breeze. I came to find a honking snail devouring the sepals and had no idea that it could -- or would -- saunter up a thirty inch stalk for a salad.

Needless to say, it and several others I found hiding in the lower leaves were treated as fastballs and/or crash-test dummies. Then came the half hour of removing tiny slugs from the pots, with a diving flashlight clinched between my teeth. Molluscicide!

"The horror, the horror . . ."
 
I too have noticed this myself! Most of my CP's are safe as the are in trays and the standing water stops them cold ;). All my other plants have received a lot of damage due to them. My citrus plants the most! They even ate through to the center of some of my lemons! I have found sluggo to be safe for pets and works well on snails and slugs in my garden. Does have to be applied often though.
 
I have gotten lucky so far with no slugs or snails yet, but once the weather here warms up more i expect to see a tun like I do every year (maybe genocide on the slugs will happen this year)
 
I agree Bella, I think the rain has something to do with the excess of pests this year. So far, no snails in sight here. They're practically the only CP marauders I haven't seen.
 
I too have noticed this myself! Most of my CP's are safe as the are in trays and the standing water stops them cold ;). All my other plants have received a lot of damage due to them. My citrus plants the most! They even ate through to the center of some of my lemons! I have found sluggo to be safe for pets and works well on snails and slugs in my garden. Does have to be applied often though.

My Sarracenia are also in water-filled trays; and, the fact that I had so many snails and slugs came as a quite a big surprise. I spent a good while last night, picking through the leaves and examining pots -- and a few slugs were delivered to their pitcher plant doom.

My girlfriend and I planted a garden in the last few weeks, and the beasties already destroyed the corn and spaghetti squash. Time to replant and invest in Sluggo . . .
 
Yeah same here. I have planted peas twice now just to feed the snails and slugs! Gone within days. I'll have to double check my trays, but I have the trays on a large table too. Sluggo is great but a little pricey. Worth it if you have pets that like to graze in your garden like I do. My dog just loves the blueberries! Eats them right off the plant.
 
I see OSH is selling predatory Decollate snails. That's an option.
 
I grow cabbage and lettuce heads by my Sarracenia area so this year, I haven't had as much of a problem. I have a good amount of sluggo and other generic bait from OSH sprinkled, and it seems to take good care of them.

I actually think I've been getting more into non-CP gardening lately which is funny because it ends up costing more to do things the right way!

I've planted a 3 dollar tomato plant in a 40 dollar hole at one point last year. Soil amendments, PH correction, feed, earthworms and starter trays really add up fast.
 
  • #10
The pest you guys are likely seeing is the european brown garden snail:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nurspest/brown_garden_snail.htm

You can probably guess that they are not native to North America... just as with other wonderful pests such as fire ants, they were brought here. NAN has a good suggestion in the decollate snail. They are a natural means to lower the garden snail populations without having to resort to chemicals that can harm your pets.
 
  • #11
I see OSH is selling predatory Decollate snails. That's an option.


I couldn't find them at the OSH in Northern California and the www.organiccontrol.com web site states that the Decollate Snails are only available to those with Southland zip codes; but it does appear that there are other sites were they may be obtained.

I recognize the shells; they must be here in some small number . . .
 
  • #12
place all your plants with their water trays in an even larger water tray or saucer. then fill up the larger water tray with a nice thin layer of salt..........hehehehehehehe.
 
  • #13
I couldn't find them at the OSH in Northern California and the www.organiccontrol.com web site states that the Decollate Snails are only available to those with Southland zip codes; but it does appear that there are other sites were they may be obtained. . .

I guess they don't want to endanger the banana slugs...
 
  • #14
I guess they don't want to endanger the banana slugs...

Yep,

"In California the CA Dept F&G restricts the use of Decollate snails to Fresno, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Tulare & Ventura Counties."
 
  • #15
Bella, if you're in the San Jose area, I could give you a cup of sluggo?
 
  • #16
Bella, if you're in the San Jose area, I could give you a cup of sluggo?

Thanks . . .

I do have some Sluggo on hand but keeping them out of the water-filled trays seems the current challenge -- that and destroying eggs wherever I can find them. Last night, I combed through every tray and found over fifteen small snails and innumerable tiny slugs. The slugs went into the pitchers and the snails under foot or on the street.

This has been, by far, the worst season for snails; and I don't recall finding one in those same trays in 2009 . . .
 
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