LifestyleGuard your garden: The humane snail trap that won't hurt a shell
Guard your garden: The humane snail trap that won't hurt a shell
A snail trap is a straightforward, non-invasive solution that is both environmentally and animal-friendly, offering gardeners a way to keep their gardens beautiful and healthy without harming the creatures. Snails, while seemingly harmless, can become a significant problem for gardeners, eating away at plants and undoing weeks of hard work and effort.
8:32 PM EDT, April 23, 2024
Employing effective, natural methods to manage these small intruders is essential. Among the simplest and most successful strategies is using a snail trap.
Snails in the Garden
Snails, being herbivores, have a preference for a variety of plant species, particularly those with tender leaves and shoots. They can decimate young seedlings, gnaw through stems, and leave nothing but the empty stalks behind. Snails reproduce quickly, with one individual capable of laying multiple eggs, leading to a swift population increase in the garden. Many snail species are nocturnal, causing unseen damage during the day and their impact is only noticeable after dark.
Snail Trap
Constructing a snail trap doesn't require advanced DIY skills. Gather a few boards and join them to form a flat board about 35x35 inches in size.
Place the trap on moist soil, elevated approximately 1-1.2 inches above the ground, using stones or slats for support. It's crucial to mow tall grass and clear away debris, which will make the wooden trap more enticing to snails seeking shelter.
The trap then becomes a refuge for the snails. After a few days, expect to find many snails gathered under the boards, ready to be relocated away from your garden.
Repel snails with natural methods
Besides trapping, you can protect your plants from snails by creating natural barriers. Spreading materials like wood ash, sand, or eggshells around plants can significantly restrict snails' access to them. The texture of these materials acts as a deterrent.
Additionally, barriers made from ground coffee beans, cinnamon, oak bark, or citrus seeds can be effective. Snails are turned off by the potent smells of these substances and tend to avoid the treated areas.
