Snails and beertraps.

[longers]

Will they go for a bit of cider do you think instead?

They're eating my Acer, not touched it before but must be desperate. I've stuck cat hair and eggshells round the top of the pot for starters.

There's nowhere to sink it into the soil, will making one up in a plantpot work?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Put lots of sharp sand around - they hate that.

 

[rich p]

I wouldn't have thought snails would eat acers, longers. Do you think it could be something else?

 

[accountantpete]

I wouldn't have thought snails would eat acers, longers. Do you think it could be something else?

+1. I'd try a systemic insecticide if something is attacking them (presumably it can't be the sun/dry weather!)

 

[longers]

There's trails on the stripped twigs and it's in the corner of the yard they hide in. Not much else in the way of snail friendly plants here.

They could bugger off but my neighbours don't grow much if anything to tempt them away or they'd have gone by now I'm sure.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

They don't like salt - but nor do any plants (usually) so be careful where you spread salt.

Or go out at night with a torch and bash their brains in.

 

[rich p]

Mrs rich p has started using a copper strip product which you wrap around the top of pots. So far so good and the hostas are doing well and the slugs and snails usually destroy them.

 

[rich p]

I've had a look around and it is highly unlikely to be slugs, longers. Try an insecticide for aphids, mealy bugs etc.

 

[longers]

I think cider is cheaper than copper. I'd also rather they did themselves in than I had to squish them.

 

[longers]

Quick photo.

No insecticide here, have used dilute washing up liquid for greenfly before now. Worth bothering with?

No sharp sand here either but thanks TwentySix.

 

[brokenbetty]

Beer traps work but you only get the ones that go for the beer.

Apart from slug pellets, the only really effective way I've found to get rid of the little beggars is to go out at night with a torch and kill them personally. I drop them in a bucket of water with washing up liquid in, not nice but they seem to die pretty quickly.

After a week or two of clearing 20+ a night you see a noticeable difference. Sadly too late for my clematis.

 

[longers]

Sadly too late for my clematis.

Same here, it survived last year but not this. That's where they kip so I've put some Speckled Hen up in a yoghurt pot up against that pot. I'm too soft to pick and drop.

Going OT but is the clematis likely to recover for next year?

 

[brokenbetty]

Same here, it survived last year but not this. That's where they kip so I've put some Speckled Hen up in a yoghurt pot up against that pot. I'm too soft to pick and drop.

Going OT but is the clematis likely to recover for next year?

Sorry, I don't know as mine didn't even survive the first month b*st*rd slugs

I used to be too soft too but the clematis pushed me over the edge. It's still an icky job but I wear gardening gloves and just get on with it.

 

[lukesdad]

What is that in the pot with the eggshells longers? The eggshells need to be finer than that blitz em in a liquidiser. If its decomposing leaves thats whats attracting them, they prefer to dine on rotting vegitation than living stuff. Also remove any cover they ve got to hide under,

 

[KEEF]

Ducks! We have ducks and have no snails or slugs or weeds come to think of it no plants grass or much of anything they have eaten everything