SNAILS ARE THE ENEMY

DEATH TO ALL SNAILS

SNAILS NOT WELCOME

Have you ever planted a new hosta speciman, perhaps like the one below, 

only to watch it become shredded by that unlovable member of the animal kingdom, the evil, dreaded snail? If so, perhaps you share my hatred of the destructive nature of the creature. I have tried to find some redeeming virtue in this living thing, but I have failed to justify its existence. I apologize in advance to all snail lovers.

Here are some snails facts:

• snails are voracious eaters and will rapidly devour foliage and stems
• snails are not picky eaters--all species of hostas are habit-forming to them
• snails lurk beneath some type of cover in moistness & darkness
• snails leave a slimy, silvery trail of evidence
• snails are slow moving
• snails have a soft body
• snails are considered a delicacy by some birds
• snails feed in hours of darkness

Armed with this information, we can adopt the following practices in the hosta garden:

• Take action against snail invasions IMMEDIATELY (we're talking about the welfare of HOSTAS here)--the infestation will worsen as snails continue to enjoy a gourmet salad bar.
• Remove decaying leaves, twigs, foliage, etc. from the area at the base of the plant--think of this as serving an eviction notice to the vile pests.
• Healthier plants are more snail-resistant. Remove any damaged or weak foliage from the hosta plant--snails attack the most vulnerable parts of the plant first.
• Consider using an inorganic mulch.
• Go snail hunting after sundown and in the very early morning--use a flashlight if necessary and follow those silvery streaks. Pick off the snails (yes, they feel gross) and drown in a bucket of salt water. Don't forget to look down into the unfurling foliage of the hosta--a prime hiding spot.
• Set a snail trap--at night, place an old board on the ground near your hosta garden. Flip it over in the morning and the snails attached to it will make a nice breakfast for the birds. Some people report having had luck with employing the same technique using half a grapefuit as the trap.
• Surround the base of the hosta plant with diatomaceous earth--soil with sharp, sandy particles in it. Snails will think twice (if they survive the first journey) about traveling over that unpleasant stretch again.  I've also used broken glass Christmas ornaments that I crushed into small pieces.
• Moth balls scattered among the plants reduces the snail population to a limited extent. (CAUTION: moth balls can be lethal to pets and are toxic to children)

 THIS IS A DRASTIC LAST RESORT (To be used ONLY when all else fails)

Snails cannot destroy your hostas if your hostas are not there. Cut your hostas all the way back to the crown, level with the soil. Use a sterile cutting instrument and dust with a fungicide to lessen the risk of infection. A small cloche placed over the plant will over it some protection. The shoots will come back in the same growing season. During the regrowth period, step up your anti-snail campaign a notch or two. HAVE NO MERCY!!