Slugs and Snails

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

Identify

Slugs and snails are soft, slimy white, dark, or yellow, and occasionally striped. they are 0.25-3 inches long. Snails live in a circular shell, slugs do not. They hide by day and feed at night. Slugs and snails leave a slimy, silvery trail of mucus in their wake. They lay translucent eggs that hatch in about a month. They reproduce prolifically, and the young mollusks often eat relatively more than adults.

Damage

They make holes in leaves often with a web-like appearance. They will eat almost any vegetation, roots included. These creatures winter over in warm, damp locations in most climates. Slugs and snails especially like tender seedlings. They will migrate to adjacent gardens in quest of food.

Cultural and physical control

A clean, dry perimeter around the garden will make it difficult for them to pass. Spotlight and handpick at night. A thin layer of lime, diatomaceous earth, or salty beach sand two to six inches wide around individual plants, beds, or the entire garden will present and impassable barrier. The lime is not thick enough to alter the pH and will repel or dissolve pests. To trap, attach short one-inch feet on a wide board and leave it in the garden. The pests will seek refuge under the board. Pick up the board every day or two, and shake the slugs ff and step on them.

Poisonous baits usually have metaldahyde as a base. Confine the bait to a slug hotel. Cut a 1 x 2 inch slot in covered plastic container to make a slug and snail hotel. Place slug and snail bait inside the hotel. The hotel must keep the bait dry and off the soil. In a slug hotel, none of the poison bait touches the soil, and the bait is inaccessible to children, pets, and birds. Place slug and snail hotels in out of the way places. Natural baits include a mix of jam and water and beer. If using beer, it must be deep enough to drown mollusks.

Biological

The predatory snail, Ruminia decolata – available commercially – is yet another way to combat plant eating slugs and snails.

Sprays

Young slugs and snails are not attracted to bait. Spray for young at night or early morning with a 50 percent ammonia-water solution.