From April to June, and sometimes even throughout the summer, our gardens are full of snails which feast on all the fresh greenery. Although they are endearing and much appreciated by children, they are nevertheless a gardener’s worst nightmare. And for good reason, among all the harmful insects, they are surely the ones that cause the most damage to our crops. Do you have an invasion of snails and slugs in your vegetable garden and you don’t know how to get rid of them? Have you considered watermelon rinds? Quickly discover this very promising tip and a whole range of effective remedies to keep these unwanted people away.
Members of the phylum family of molluscs, garden snails are known to ravage plants, flowers and plants, regularly chewing the outer layer of leaves. Result: the plantations are often in a lamentable state. To avoid all this intense damage to your crops, our tips will make your life easier!
Why you should scatter watermelon rinds in your garden?
The ultimate summer fruit, watermelon is on every table at the moment. As tasty as it is refreshing and vitamin-rich, it is also an absolute weapon for fighting garden snails. Indeed, its barks are ideal for trapping all these pests which represent a real danger for market gardening crops. This is because of their sweet and tempting smell. Watermelon rinds are like bait that attracts snails and slugs.
It is best to sprinkle the bark in the garden in the evening. This way, all the snails will gather in one place in the morning. This way you will get rid of them very easily without even using chemical substances that are dangerous for the environment and for these insects.
NB : you don’t have watermelon in the kitchen? Melon skin will have a similar effect.
Other tips for keeping snails out of your garden
- Wood ash mixed with coffee grounds
This is a very effective ecological remedy to keep snails away from your plants. Mix wood ash with coffee grounds. Place this natural compost around the plants most at risk, i.e. along the perimeter of the garden, if it is not too large. This will immediately act as a barrier: because snails hate crawling on rough areas.
- Chopped eggshells
Along the same lines as the previous solution, use chopped eggshells to discourage them from approaching plants. Sprinkle well around plants often infested with insects. As you can imagine, this makes the terrain impermeable to the slug’s mushy body. As they will have difficulty crawling, they will no longer be able to venture into the area and will therefore leave your plants alone.
- Sulfur powder
Powdered sulfur is an organic product: in addition to being an effective fungicide, it is also an excellent natural repellent for many garden insects, such as whiteflies and red mites. So, thanks to this remedy it will be very easy to create a protective barrier against snails and slugs along the perimeter of the garden. Enough to dissuade them from approaching the plants!
NB : be careful, make sure that the powdered sulfur is 100% pure so as not to damage your crops.
- Chemicals and pesticides
Finally, certain classic pesticides will also do the job perfectly. You may choose to use a pest control spray to repel slugs and snails. However, it is not recommended to spray it directly on crops, as it can burn plant leaves. So be very careful! If you prefer another natural alternative: salt is also an ideal solution for killing slugs and snails. Other compounds like chlorine (bleach), aluminum sulfate, and potassium permanganate will also act as powerful pesticides.
NB : be careful with the use of salt, apply it sparingly, as it can harm other plants and creatures.
