Snails in my greenhouse

[Roberta]

I don't treat much because I grow mostly outside, don't seem to have much problem (the occasional bush snail, but few enough that I just pick them off when they appear) I do use iron phosphate (Sluggo) for slugs when I find them... those I actually find, get picked off and squished underfoot. I do grow mostly in baskets, so root zones tend to dry out, and that likely helps. People who grow in greenhouse or confined conditions will need to advise.

[estación seca]

I have only treated when I saw evidence of bush snails, in a few pots. I also treated the plants around them. If I had a widespread infestation I would know it.

[Dimples]

I have no experience with bush snails, but I have had experience with carnivorous snails that prey on the larger garden variety snails. The predatory snails have conical shells and a massive appetite. They’re naturalized here in San Diego County, so we’re allowed to order them from suppliers or transport them within the county for intentional release on private property, but they’re prohibited in areas that don’t already have them in the ecosystem. Again, no clue if they’d be able to help you with bush snails, but maybe there’s a bush snail predator that would work in a closed greenhouse environment.

[Roberta]

Problem with bush snails is that they hide in the medium. (I recall one elderly orchid friend who insisted that that there were two kinds of orchid growers, those who had bush snails and those that needed new glasses) But he grew exclusively in a greenhouse. Plants are in close quarters, and pests do spread easily. Outdoors, it's a less "welcoming" environment for them. I find a few (mostly in plants that have come from other people), they emerge after a good watering, they like "damp" but don't like drowning and so show themselves. And get dispatched.

[Bayard]

My plants were infested with bush snails. Fortunately, I had the nuclear option - Mesurol (methiocarb). I watered heavily on a warm summer day, then drenched the pots in the evening when the snails came out with the Mesurol. Haven’t seen one since.

[Tango]

Hi,
Thank you for your feedback. As Roberta and Estación Seca said, the bush snails don't get attracted by iron phosphate. I had a couple of them in a tupperware for the weekend and completely ignored the pellets.
Dimples: thank you, I have learnt (half an hour ago &#128514 that there are several carnivorous snails in my area. They may be useful but I don't think I can collect or identify them easily.
Bayard: thank you for the information, that nuclear option seems very interesting... I'll try to get the chemical.
Meanwhile I'm cleaning the greenhouse and pruning a lot of overgrown plants. It seems that a strong coffee has 0,13% coffeine, so I was applying almost 20 times that... I'll try 0,15% coffeine solution following Estación Seca's method, and let's see what happens!

---------- Post added at 06:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:21 PM ----------

Update: Mesurol (Metiocarb) has been prohibited in the EU, so if someone from the area is thinking of it just forget.

[Leafmite]

When you apply the caffeine, you have to get all of the plants...the mounted orchids, the other tropical plants...everything. It needs to be watered on all the leaves and completely through the dirt of the other tropical plants. Before I knew about the coffee, I used Sevin (Carbaryl) powder and that took care of the first infestation. The second and third bush snail invasion was eliminated by the instant coffee and instant coffee crystals. The third issue with bush snails was in my terrarium but I treated all the other plants just to be certain.