OMG! Snail INVASION! Bastards everywhere!

[Guineveretoo]

When we lived in Cambridge (and tried to grow vegetables), my ex used to hurl the snails at the wall of the nearest building as hard as he could, so they would smash. Cruel, perhaps, but effective! (The nearest building was actually a junior school, though, so I did sometimes wonder if the kids speculated as to where the pile of dead snails had come from!). We also have a toad which we looked after very well indeed, because it ate the slugs!

 

[DrRingDing]

Me and Eme had two sweeps of the balcony tonight and another 40 or so were bagged up.

They're getting smaller, so I reckon we could be winning this war. The managed to more or less kill a sunflower that was coming through and fatally wound a new plant or two so I'm getting a lot less inclined to be gentle to the fuckers.

40 in one night!

Where are they all coming from?

 

[editor]

I wouldn't suggest you deliberately cause them suffering, but why are you inclined to be gentle to them at all?

I mean, it's not even as if they're fluffy or cute, is it?

Because I'm a great big softy and don't like causing any unnecessary suffering to any creatures.

Except ants when they invade my kitchen. If they refuse to heed the hints and the gentle persuasion to get the fuck out, they can die! die! die!

 

[Guineveretoo]

Ooh, it's good to see that even editor double posts on occasion

 

[Ms T]

I show no mercy, I'm afraid, and surround my tender young plants with slug pellets. The bastards managed to eat a couple of rather nice rununculus that I bought, so now it's war!

Mrs Magpie stamps on them in her bare feet. Now that's hardcore!

 

[Guineveretoo]

Ooh, it's good to see that even editor double posts on occasion

That is so not fair!

Editor has a magical tool which removes his double posting, so it looks like he didn't do it!

 

[Guineveretoo]

I show no mercy, I'm afraid, and surround my tender young plants with slug pellets. The bastards managed to eat a couple of rather nice rununculus that I bought, so now it's war!

Mrs Magpie stamps on them in her bare feet. Now that's hardcore!

I don't like slug pellets because they can harm other creatures, too.

I also don't like standing on them in bare feet. It's happened to me more than once, and trying to remove squashed slug/snail from between your toes is quite, quite disgusting!

 

[pembrokestephen]

That is so not fair!

Editor has a magical tool which removes his double posting, so it looks like he didn't do it!

I know, Crispy did it to me the other day, leaving me looking like a pillock with a posting referring to his double posting, and no double posting to actually refer to.

I shall bide my time. Revenge is sweet when it's a dish served cold. Or something

 

[pembrokestephen]

I don't like slug pellets because they can harm other creatures, too.

I also don't like standing on them in bare feet. It's happened to me more than once, and trying to remove squashed slug/snail from between your toes is quite, quite disgusting!

Some slug pellets are less evil than others. I'm using ferric chloride (I think) ones at the moment, which clearly do terrible things to slugs and snails, but are apparently moderately safe for other creatures.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

Some slugs/snails are more evil than others too. I'm not one to begrudge sharing my garden with few other creatures, but when they ignore the seedlings in the ground to climb into pots and eat my entries to the suburban sunflower competition - well, I wish death upon them!

I thought pots would keep them safe - I have failed them

 

[sunflower]

I've got a major problem with slugs and snails in my garden at the moment too...but what is really baffling me is how the Ed is getting snails on his balcony 9 FLOORS UP...do they just decide to crawl all the way up there? Can they smell the sunflowers

 

[editor]

I know, Crispy did it to me the other day, leaving me looking like a pillock with a posting referring to his double posting, and no double posting to actually refer to.

For the record, I regularly remove other poster's double posts quietly too, as and when I spot them....

 

[equationgirl]

If you have to kill slugs, use salt. Shrivels them up but still safe for the other animals to eat.

Unadvisable to use broken glass or slug pellets if you have animals or small children.

The beer thing can result in a vomit-inducing slug curdle according to my dad (who went green after doing it in his garden).

Orange peel shells can be used instead of grapefruits, and have the advantage of making multiple snails easy to pick up at once (because they're all in the shell of the orange).

Or borrow a toad.

 

[equationgirl]

I've got a major problem with slugs and snails in my garden at the moment too...but what is really baffling me is how the Ed is getting snails on his balcony 9 FLOORS UP...do they just decide to crawl all the way up there? Can they smell the sunflowers

Don't be silly.

They parachute in, SAS-style.

 

[sunflower]

The beer thing can result in a vomit-inducing slug curdle according to my dad (who went green after doing it in his garden).

This is what puts me off doing the beer traps

 

[equationgirl]

This is what puts me off doing the beer traps

Yes, my dad (who is quite strong stomached) does not recommend it. It does work, but the aftermath is vile.

 

[mrs quoad]

Oh, I even put in a few little airholes.

Pathetic, isnt it?

You can now get slug sleeping pellets. Don't kill them, just knock em out for a couple of days so's you can go round picking them up at leisure

I either heard that on gardener's question time, or dreamed it

 

[pembrokestephen]

You can now get slug sleeping pellets. Don't kill them, just knock em out for a couple of days so's you can go round picking them up at leisure

I either heard that on gardener's question time, or dreamed it

What a very strange idea!

The firm that produces exploding slug pellets is the firm that will have my money. I can't think of anything more joyous that sitting out in the evening listening to the muffled, slightly wet, sound of the slugs' involuntary and violent disassembly, or the whine as fragments of snail shell shrapnel carom off the walls and paving...

I want them to die, promptly, abruptly, and with extreme prejudice. Sleeping pills for slugs? You'll be telling us they need social workers next!

 

[playghirl]

The bastards seem to really enjoy spinach and cucumber plants.... and herbs!!! Monmgrels!!!

 

[mrs quoad]

You'll be telling us they need social workers next!

Oddly enough, it was either sleeping pellets or concussion grenades going through my mind. So I suspect it was a dream.

Meantimes, dunno bout social workers but there's a slug in my garden who could use an existential therapist

 

[pembrokestephen]

Oddly enough, it was either sleeping pellets or concussion grenades going through my mind. So I suspect it was a dream.

Meantimes, dunno bout social workers but there's a slug in my garden who could use an existential therapist

*gets long sharp pin, big tub of salt, and exploding slug pellets*

On my way...

 

[cyberfairy]

The bastards seem to really enjoy spinach and cucumber plants.... and herbs!!! Monmgrels!!!

Yes-all my herbs have eaten and was so excited bout my basil.
I too can not kill anything. Silly I guess but am a veggie and seems weird to kill for my veggies when I don't really have to although I know the herbs etc I buy to replace my eaten ones are probably pesticided to fuck.

 

[sojourner]

I love eating snails but I'm in the silly camp that winces when I stand on their shells by accident

Snails - how do they kill them for restaurant meals? Tell me they're dead when they cook them

 

[madamv]

This is what puts me off doing the beer traps

My slug beer trap thing was £1.25 and has a supply of little bags which go inside the basin and you pour the beer into that. Then just pick up the plastic bag and bin.

Although, I rather like the sound of the sleeping draught. Did anyone see Gardener's World this week? I fancy putting my tommies into a hanging basket!

 

[cyberfairy]

I love eating snails but I'm in the silly camp that winces when I stand on their shells by accident

Snails - how do they kill them for restaurant meals? Tell me they're dead when they cook them

Well, I've heard frogs are still alive when they chop the legs off so can't see much compassion to snails. I know I'm veggie but even so..eating snails seems the opposite of what you cough up after smoking 56 Lambert and Butler

 

[sojourner]

Well, I've heard frogs are still alive when they chop the legs off so can't see much compassion to snails. I know I'm veggie but even so..eating snails seems the opposite of what you cough up after smoking 56 Lambert and Butler

Nooo

No, snails done right are really spot on - not the consistency of gob at all not too chewy, just a dense 'rightness' about them...especially served in those little bowls with snail-shaped dips in em, and brimming with garlicky buttery loveliness

 

[pembrokestephen]

My slug beer trap thing was £1.25 and has a supply of little bags which go inside the basin and you pour the beer into that. Then just pick up the plastic bag and bin.

Although, I rather like the sound of the sleeping draught. Did anyone see Gardener's World this week? I fancy putting my tommies into a hanging basket!

I've got my rocket and spinach in tubs up on a shelf about 4 feet off the ground. The shelf is scattered with slug pellets. Even then, the occasional (mostly snail) mollusc gets up there, but it's not too much of a problem. Hanging basket toms is probably the way to go. Unless you've got 'em in pots, and can experiment with noxious substances smeared around the outside that will deter things that crawl up there. Grease might work, or...dunno, worth trying various options, I guess.

 

[cyberfairy]

Nooo

No, snails done right are really spot on - not the consistency of gob at all not too chewy, just a dense 'rightness' about them...especially served in those little bowls with snail-shaped dips in em, and brimming with garlicky buttery loveliness

Have you heard that joke? Why do women have legs?











Well, have you seen the mess a snail leaves behind?

 

[sojourner]

Have you heard that joke? Why do women have legs?











Well, have you seen the mess a snail leaves behind?

Yes, I have heard that 'joke'

Cooked snails leave no trails

 

[cyberfairy]

Yes, I have heard that 'joke'

Cooked snails leave no trails

That sounds like a threat a really cool villain would say