How to Rid Your Vegetable Garden of Snails

Snails are members of the mollusk family.

Snails can cause serious damage to a garden, eating irregular holes into plant foliage and, if the infestation is severe enough, killing plants. Keep your vegetable garden snail free easily with this old tip that is guaranteed to work every time. You work hard on your garden all season and do not want those little snails and slugs sliming up your fresh vegetables.

Things You'll Need

• Empty tuna cans
• Dish soap
• Beer

Instructions

1. Gather up a few empty tuna tin cans. You will need one tin can for about every 5 square feet. Wash the cans in soapy water to clean them.

2. Place the tuna cans face up around the border and also within the rows of your garden at various places. About one tin tuna can per 5 square feet should be fine. Sink the cans into the ground so the rim is just about at ground level.

3. Open the can of beer and pour about an inch of beer in each of the empty tuna tin cans.

4. Check your snail traps each morning,. Remove unwanted snails and slugs by discarding the contents into the trash. Refill the cans with more beer as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• After rain, empty and refill with more beer.

• Dispose of slugs or snails anywhere but your garden area and refill with more beer.

• Please check the age laws in your state before drinking/tasting the beer

References

• University of California IPM Online: Pests in Gardens and Landscapes
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Snails & Slugs in the Home Garden