HELP!! Snails....
 

:(( The snails are really ticking me off! They have found my little pots of dend keikis and are having a great time on these tender leaves. :_( I have used 2 different kinds of snail bait and have sprayed the leaves with Orthene. And every morning there are more eaten leaves! I went out with a flashlight last night and found 2 snails, but I am afraid there are more out there. I am soaking 3 pots in water (submerged for 1 hour already) but nothing is crawling out. :scratchhead: I'd love to hear suggestions for controlling these monsters. HELP!

Repot and hang them

There is a product that is called "Sluggo" and a little glob on top of the media will draw them to it and cause them to die. Usually can be found a nurseries.

:( I am using Sluggo and Ortho snail bait together. And Orthene!

Sluggo
 

Sluggo from my understanding causes the snails to starve because they can't eat. Give it a few days they will disappear. Also repot and keep an out for slug and/or snail eggs.:goodluck:

:shock: I know what you mean. That is why I use Sluggo. I always thought it was a great product. However, I put a lot of it out over the last few days and the snails are still eating my leaves. I submerged the pots for about 2 hours and nothing floated up. I have separated the pots that were attacked and will check them every couple hours. Hopefully the disgusting creature will come out of hiding tonight and I will get him! I am going out to the orchid house now with a flashlight (and a box of salt) to look again. :evil:

Put a slice of apple,lettice,or potato on top of the pot and check it by turning it over and looking with a flashlight at night- Some of the snails (Little bush snails) are so small people dont know they have them you will find them this way - also you can squash the little buggers. I hate the things. Sluggo is a good product and I add my recomendation. You might also want to put out a roach trap - they are faster than snails and also find orchids delicious. Our Palmetto bugs oh yea - I see you live in Florida too.

don't put salt on the orchids. it will kill them too.

Any bait you choose will take a while to work. First the target species (in this case snails) needs to consume the bait. Then they need to drag back to the hidy-hole and then die. Sometimes in the meanwhile they consume more veg. Just a part of the scenario, I am afraid.

;) Well, thanks all for the advice. I only found one small snail last night and hopefully I got them all. There is plenty of Sluggo and Ortho slug bait out there. So hopefully they are all dead or almost dead. I submerged the pots of dends that were getting eaten and nothing ever came out (or else they drowned). I am keeping those plants inside for a while so I can watch them closely (they are just babies :_( ). We are getting rain every day now and the snails are able to get around easier.

Dorothy, I am far too lazy to repot these plants. :lol: I must find another way!

Orchids3, I am going to try the tip you gave me tonight to see if I attract any more. ;) Great suggestion! I never thought of that before. I haven't ever seen palmetto bugs in the orchid house but the fruit might attract them too (good way to find out if they are out there).

Cullenperry, I wasn't going to put the salt on the orchids :lol: , I put it in a paper cup and throw the snails in the cup of salt (I can't stand the thought of sqwishing them! :shock: Yeech!)

By the way, everyone thinks I am crazy now because of my midnight recon missions looking for snails on my orchids. This is one of those things that spouses and teenage kids don't understand. :scratchhead: Sigh, but my chids do!