Snails

[peeweelovesbooks]

Hello all.

Evidently I have a snail problem. Sigh. It ate 1 and 1/2 leaves of my keiki and has chewed off several parts of other leaves. The problem is that I cannot find it!! My orchids are in the terrace (which is enclosed) but I have the windows open. The windows have mesh so nothing is coming in from there. I. cannot. find. the. snail!!!!! Sigh.

I was going to repot all the orchids because the moss is pretty much useless at this point, and I did not find the snail hidden anywhere.

I bought snail bait/poison and spread the powder on the table where my orchids are located.

Any other suggestions are very welcome. Thanks!!!

[BikerDoc5968]

First, the usual snails that affect orchids are tiny...not what you may invision as some 1/2" crustacean slinking around your plants. They may have been in the pot when you got the plant. During the daytime, they hide out at the bottom of the pot, coming out to feed at night. In any event, I have used apple slices laid on top of the medium and at night they come and feed on the apple so you can crush them in the early AM. They will be on the underside of the apple. Some people place the whole pot in a container of weak coffee and soak for a period of time, while others use Sluggo or similar products available at garden centers and possibly BB stores. Good luck 'cause I had/may still have the same problem and it is heart-breaking to see that these critters are getting a free meal at our expense!

[quiltingwacko]

Thanks for the idea Doc. I am going to try this apple slice remedy. Eating the buds is just unforgiveable. Carol

[nenella]

You can also use Beer. Snails love it!I 'caught' /drowned one yesterday In a flower tub. It was tiny I couldnt believe how much a small thing like that had eaten.
I filled a little plastic bowl of beer and 'planted' it into the compost.
Good to know about apple slices Howard. Thanks

[isurus79]

The apple slice thing is an interesting idea. Im in a never ending battle with slugs and snails (which are mollusks and not crustaceans! sorry, I had to mention that!) because I grow outside with trees and bushes as my 'shadehouse.' You should know that most slug bait is not designed to kill your pests, but rather immobilize them in the open for a few days so they dry out. After using the stuff, they seem to leave an especially large slime trail which you can follow, collect the culprits and dispose of the evil creatures whichever way you see fit. If you do not collect them and they dont dry out, they will regain mobility and continue snacking on your plants. I also just started putting used coffee grounds around my plants on the ground. I guess the caffiene causes an overload in their little hearts and they go off to the great slug paradise in the sky. Apples, slugbait and coffee grounds. Hopefully now I can get the edge in on these slimy little devils!!

[phearamedusa]

Try diatomaeous earth, it will slice the bellies of the little buggers, won't harm plants but needs to be reapplied after rain/watering. I don't know how well this will work with orchids, but copper strips are supposed to repel them from around other plants.

[quiltingwacko]

Coffee grounds? Who knew? There is something I have an abundance of. I'll try the coffee grounds in the veggie garden and the apples in the orchids. If I find any beer in the refrig, it's all mine. Carol

[Baz in Oz]

Snails and slugs dearly love the green growing root tips and even the tiny ones can chew off tips.
I haven't yet tried it but I read somewhere that they both love lettuce leaves. Place the leaves in likely areas in the evening and around 10.30pm harvest the pests and again at daylight.
Another tip I read about was to buy your grandkids a pet turtle and keep it in your shade house.