Snail Tales

How to Control Snails Organically

     Most problems with snails can be explained by the law of cause and effect. The snail problem that many gardeners encounter is a reaction and not a cause. Snail infestation occurs when the soil is no longer alive because the organisms within it have been killed with chemical fertilizers, pesticides or thru otherwise bad soil care. The continued use of snail killer year after year destroys the soil and upsets the balance. This is the cause. Dead soil will not support life, therefore the delicate balance which nature maintains has been up set. It is this balance that protects all living beings on our planet. Deal with the cause and the effect will disappear. Here are some steps you can take to control snails on your property.

Step 1: Dealing with Snails

      Whenever there is an infestation of any one pest, the balance of nature has been upset. Anything not naturally found in nature contributes to this imbalance, including chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, weed killers, snail killers or any other poison and/or synthetic toxin. If you have been using any form of chemical snail control year after year to keep snails away from your flowers, vegetables, etc., the first and most important step is to stop using any form of chemical snail bait whatsoever. Another reason to stop using snail poison is that it also kills birds and other friendly critters that you may like having around your home1*(see below). They are here for the snails too. If you want to deal with snails effectively, you will succeed only if you understand that chemical fertilizers are as bad for your soil's health as pesticides are bad for your health. You must be willing to commit yourself to growing without chemicals of any kind. Because your plants need a period of transition, start by reducing your chemical use by half during the first 3 months, then completely stop the chemical use after that period.

_______________________________ 

1*..Dogs have been known to eat this stuff and die from it!