Throw them in the garbage???

These are living creatures, perhaps not as " cute " as a squirrel but deserves respect non e the less.

Try vaseline with salt mixed in and spread around the perimeter.

By carma on October 7, 2010 11:34 AM

If you use the beer method, make SURE you find a way to keep birds from getting to it. They will also drink it, and while a drunk bird might sound amusing to some people it isn't at all funny. It greatly decreases their safety and ability to survive. (Just like drunk people, and they aren't amusing either.) There are snail beer traps that you can find in garden centers and gardeners' catalogs...+READ

If you use the beer method, make SURE you find a way to keep birds from getting to it. They will also drink it, and while a drunk bird might sound amusing to some people it isn't at all funny. It greatly decreases their safety and ability to survive. (Just like drunk people, and they aren't amusing either.) There are snail beer traps that you can find in garden centers and gardeners' catalogs esp. ones who carry stuff for for organic gardening that have lids that let the snails in and keep the birds out.-COLLAPSE

By norwoodpa on July 4, 2010 01:24 PM

"snail free"....suuuuure!
Pretty blithe portrayal of snail control. For mild-winter gardeners, it'll take a combination of all three methods, and then some, to keep them at a dull roar, as they do not repect property lines in urban neighborhoods. Here's a bit of expanded info:

Water early in the day to have plant foliage as dry as possible at night. Snails feed mostly at night, and love to...+READ

"snail free"....suuuuure!
Pretty blithe portrayal of snail control. For mild-winter gardeners, it'll take a combination of all three methods, and then some, to keep them at a dull roar, as they do not repect property lines in urban neighborhoods. Here's a bit of expanded info:

Water early in the day to have plant foliage as dry as possible at night. Snails feed mostly at night, and love to gather addtional moisture that clings to leaves. If using drip irrigation, snails and slugs tend to congregate at drip points, which can make gathering easier.

Gathering in the very early morning hours, or at night with a flashlight, will make the chore more productive, as snails will be out & about and more exposed. If using the Sluggo type products, DO lightly sprinkle foliage (to draw out snails) in the evening before applying. Sprinkle this expensive product lightly. No clumps or piles needed.

Keep dead leaf debris to a minimum and check objects snails can gather on (pots, boards, empty cell packs--they love those undersides) to eliminate hiding places.

Chickens and ducks love to forage for snails, as do possums, though I'm not sure I'd invite them into the garden.-COLLAPSE

By toodie jane on June 1, 2010 07:46 AM

The "proper" way to prepare helix snails for the table, at least according to the California Department of Agribulture and UC Berkeley, is to place them in a large container (I used a plastic dish pan) with at least a half inch of damp (NOT wet!) corn meal and a weighted ventilated top. Alow them to purge themselves of pesticides and any "off flavors" from their in-the-wild diet for at least 72...+READ

The "proper" way to prepare helix snails for the table, at least according to the California Department of Agribulture and UC Berkeley, is to place them in a large container (I used a plastic dish pan) with at least a half inch of damp (NOT wet!) corn meal and a weighted ventilated top. Alow them to purge themselves of pesticides and any "off flavors" from their in-the-wild diet for at least 72 hours. Blanche the live snails in boiling/simmering water, then prepare according to your favorit recipe. If I could figure out how to post a photocopy of the state brochure here, I would. Maybe I'm just too dumb. Anyway, the brochure says to blanche for fifteen minutes, but I found that left them a bit tougher than six minutes did. I preferred mine prepared with garlic/parsley butter, then baked in a ss escargot tray with a couple of tablespoons of good Burgundy wine. Made for great sopping up with French bread when the butter bubbled over into the wine!

But be warned. Grow-your-own snails are INCRECTIBLY DELICIOUS!!! But... They can also be incredibly expensive when compared to the imported canned variety. My snails ate their way through my strawberry crop, my dichondra lawn, my cameilas, roses, nasturtiums, bougenvillias, Australian tree ferns, sword ferns... All sorts of lovely and not cheap plants. The day I figured out how much they were running a pound, I went out and bought some snail killer and a couple of cans of escargot.-COLLAPSE

By Caroline1 on April 23, 2010 08:54 AM

This version of the recipe is by Pat and Bob Reynolds
Collect snails, Helix Aspersa, the common brown garden snail.
Put into a container in which they can be kept moist and can breathe.
Feed them on bran or lettuce or cabbage leaves for 7 to 10 days. This cleanses them.
Put in a sieve and dunk them in boiling water for a few seconds to kill them.
Take the snails from the shells with a small fork,...+READ

This version of the recipe is by Pat and Bob Reynolds
Collect snails, Helix Aspersa, the common brown garden snail.
Put into a container in which they can be kept moist and can breathe.
Feed them on bran or lettuce or cabbage leaves for 7 to 10 days. This cleanses them.
Put in a sieve and dunk them in boiling water for a few seconds to kill them.
Take the snails from the shells with a small fork, wash them off and then cook.
To cook about a 100 you need a pint of water, ¾ pint of cider, a large carrot and an onion cut into pieces.
Make sure the snails are covered in liquid.
Bring to the boil and simmer until tender for about an hour – it may take a little longer.
Rinse in hot water to clean off the bits of vegetables.
The snails need to be fed lettuce for 7-10 days
Meanwhile put the empty shells in a saucepan with salt and water and bring to the boil.
Boil for a few minutes then rinse in cold water.
Do this 3 times more to make sure the shells are clean.
Dry shells in the oven.
Now to the snails.
You will need a pound of butter for 100 snails.
If the butter is salty you will have no need to add any more salt to the recipe.
½ teaspoon of each of the following,
Chervil, Dill, Fennel Seed, Basil, Sage.
1 teaspoon Chives
3 teaspoons Parsley
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper.
You can use dried or fresh herbs for this.
Grind up all the herbs together and add them to the butter and mix in well.
Take a snail shell, put a little bit of the herb butter into it, then a snail and seal off the shell with more herb butter.
To serve, put the snails on a tray and put into a hot oven.
When the butter bubbles they are ready to eat.
Serve with cubes of bread to mop up the herb butter.”-COLLAPSE

By Jonnielights on April 21, 2010 09:44 AM

can't you just collect and eat them?

By Jonnielights on April 21, 2010 09:37 AM