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trixi

By Trixi

United Kingdom

How do I stop snails/slugs eating my clematis that grows up a wall?




Answers

 

You could try putting sharp grit or similar round the base - they don't like crossing sharp things. You might put a beer trap there too. For snails pick off any you see. (It is no use collecting snails and tipping them outside the garden - research has shown that they have a homing instinct and will return so you have to either smash them or take them somewhere else.) Or eat them...
In later autumn search round likely spots for hibernating snails. They like to pile up together in places like upturned plantpots or anywhere sheltered. You can pick them off, and if you don't like killing things put them in a carrier bag and take them along way from home. Or just put the bagful in the dustbin if you are hard hearted. I got rid of 200
hibernating ones once that way when we moved house.

17 Jul, 2020

 

a wildlife friendly way is to use the torch and spotlight and pick up method. then bag and bin or take upwards of 1 mile away apparently.

beer traps work as do empty orange skins put down on the night and emptied in the morning.

encourage hedgehogs and thrushes in to eat them too.
failing that go for slug pellets that are frrous based like 'sluggo'. they feed on it and then burrow down into the soil to die. they are less likely to be found and eaten by the wildlife.

remember they are happy climbing walls/bricks and they may even live under the eaves and come down to the plants.

welcome to GoY too.

17 Jul, 2020

 

I use beer traps and simply pick off others and move far away (if snails have found a good food source, they have a brilliant memory for where that was so as far away as poss).

I encourage a lot of wildlife in my garden and at the moment I have two hoglets who have made a home in a corner of my polytunnel, so that's why I don't use blue slug pellets. Hedgehogs, frogs and birds will happily help you out.

17 Jul, 2020

 

Sorry - me again. I forgot to mention that some people spray garlic water on their plants - so this might be a good method as those I know who use this swear by it.

17 Jul, 2020

 

If you live near a busy road, just put them on the opposite side of it from your garden. The chances are they'll never get back across alive (works for me)

17 Jul, 2020

 

I like Andrew's solution! Perhaps anyone living on the other side of the road might not though!

19 Jul, 2020

 

Honeysuckle - they have a 'homing' instinct so will try to get back

19 Jul, 2020

How do I say thanks?

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