Many gardeners who have community garden plots or home gardens on the ground floor would have encountered slugs and snails gnawing at their plants, or worse, denuding them. The presence of these gastropods is a recurring event in my garden and I’ve looked at different ways on how to get rid of slugs and snails from my property in Singapore. The snails I usually find are the African Land Snail, Luminescent Land Snail, Humphrey’s Land Snail and Allopeas Snail but we do have a diverse number of snails in Singapore.
My former flock of chickens would eat the smaller snails and slugs but my current resident flock turn their beaks up at them. So I’ve had to explore other ways of dealing with them that don’t involve slug or snail pellets, something which I’m not terribly fond of because I don’t like the use of poisons in my garden or the likelihood of making my chickens or any wildlife sick.
Aside from pellets, other tactics that gardeners swear by include copper tape, beer traps/pub, wool pellets, diatomaceous earth, coffee grounds, brambles, and using a plank as a lure, where they can be found and dealt with later. This is a good time to mention that crushed egg shells are not as effective as once thought, because gardeners have found that snails and slugs just crawl over it.
There are however, non-chemical, humane strategies that you can consider, either through preventing or by baiting/trapping, and then relocating. They may come across as the enemy but they are ecologically beneficial. Their diet consists of fungi and rotting leaves and other vegetation, and as detritivores and some say decomposers, they help in breaking down plant waste, cycling nutrients back to the soil. While they are not particularly welcome to our vegetable garden especially, we don’t need to use a take no prisoners approach.
As a bald cypress tree owner, you know how beautiful and stately these trees can be. Their lacy, delicate foliage provides wonderful dappled shade on hot summer days. However, you may have noticed some unwelcome guests munching on your tree’s leaves and branches – snails! Not only do these slimy creatures damage your tree, but they can be difficult to get rid of.
Never fear! In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything you need to rid your bald cypress of pesky snails once and for all. We’ll cover why snails are attracted to these trees, the different removal methods available, and tips for prevention With the right approach, you can have a snail-free bald cypress in no time!
Why Are Snails Attracted to Bald Cypress Trees?
Before we dig into removal methods let’s first understand what draws snails to bald cypress trees. Here are some of the main reasons these mollusks can’t resist these trees
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Tasty foliage – Snails feed on plant matter and the tender young leaves and shoots of bald cypress offer perfect snacks. The soft green growth is easy for their radulas (toothed tongues) to scrape and eat.
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Ideal habitat – Bald cypresses like moist, humid environments, which are also perfect for snails. Their damp bark provides ideal hiding spots and areas to lay eggs.
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Lack of predators – Unlike low-growing shrubs, bald cypress branches are high off the ground. This keeps many snail-eating predators like ground beetles and birds away.
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Nutritional needs – Snails require high levels of calcium for their shells. The lime-rich soil cypresses prefer offers an abundant calcium source.
Understanding what attracts snails to these trees will help you craft an effective removal plan. Now let’s go over the different methods you can use.
Mechanical Snail Removal Methods
Here are some hands-on techniques for manually removing snails from your bald cypress:
Handpicking
Handpicking snails may sound tedious, but for a small tree, it can be reasonably effective. Check the tree thoroughly in the evening when snails are active. Look on branches, the trunk, and in ground litter. Crush the snails or drop them into a bucket of soapy water to dispatch them.
Hosing with Water
A forceful spray from your garden hose can knock snails off branches and wash them away. Concentrate the water jet on problem areas. Repeat daily until snails numbers are manageable. Avoid early morning watering when snails are inactive.
Traps
Set out small containers like flowerpots or jars lid-side down beneath branches. Place a dense bait like lettuce or grapes inside. Check the traps daily and dispose of any snails caught inside. Using many traps can significantly reduce populations.
Barriers
You can obstruct snail movement and damage by wrapping copper tape around the trunk. The copper reacts with the snail’s slime to deliver a mild electrical shock. Prune any branches touching the ground or fences to remove easy access paths. Diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base kills snails through abrasion and dehydration.
Removing Hiding Spots
Eliminate the shady, moist places snails love to congregate during the day. Prune lower branches up off the ground. Clean up fallen leaves, boards, or debris around the base. Remove weed cover. This leaves fewer sheltered areas for snails to avoid control measures.
By regularly employing these mechanical removal techniques, you can significantly reduce the number of snails infesting your bald cypress. But for the best long-term control, you’ll want to turn to chemical solutions.
Chemical Snail Treatments for Bald Cypress Trees
Using the right chemical products can provide an effective one-two-punch against stubborn snail populations. Here are some recommended options:
Iron Phosphate Bait
Iron phosphate baits like Snail Bait and Sluggo contain a compound deadly to snails but safe for people, pets, and plants. Sprinkle bait around the root zone and in problem areas. Snails eat the bait while foraging and die after returning to their hiding spots. Reapply after rain or irrigation.
Copper Sprays
Copper sprays like Liqui-Cop and Cueva coat leaves and stems with a copper layer that snails avoid. Use a backpack sprayer to thoroughly coat the trunk, branches, and leaves. Reapply every 7-14 days for maximum protection. Copper can inhibit nutrient uptake through leaves so limit spray to problem areas.
Diatomaceous Earth
Spread diatomaceous earth, a powder made of crushed fossils, around the tree’s base. The sharp particles abrade snails’ soft bodies, causing injury and dehydration. Reapply frequently since rain washes DE away. Wear a mask when applying to avoid inhaling the dust particles.
By combining physical removal with targeted chemical control, you can break the cycle of snail infestations. But prevention is also key for long term management.
Tips for Preventing Future Snail Invasions
To stop snails before they become a problem, here are some handy tips:
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Remove ivy, weeds, and dense groundcover around the tree to eliminate snail habitat.
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Surround the base with a 3-inch deep copper barrier sunk into the ground. Slugs and snails avoid crossing copper.
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Wrap tree trunks in slippery copper tape or abrasive sand paper to obstruct climbing.
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Use drip irrigation instead of sprinklers to keep foliage dry and less hospitable for snails.
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Mulch bare soil with sharp gravel instead of bark to deter snail movement.
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Install copper flashing or collars on tree trunks to prevent upward climbing.
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Illuminate base of tree at night with bright LED lights to deter nocturnal activity.
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Release predator animals like ducks, beetles, and frogs in your yard to naturally reduce snail populations.
With vigilance and the right control methods, you can protect your beautiful bald cypress from slimy snail damage. The key is being consistent with removal and prevention techniques, especially after rain or irrigating. If snails have been a persistent problem, you may need monthly maintenance to break their lifecycle. But soon you’ll be able to enjoy your magnificent snail-free cypress tree.
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Diatomaceous earth and beer are the way to go. DE needs to be reapplied often as it washes off in the rain.
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Are snail pellets safe for cats, dogs, birds and vegetables?
There are a couple types of snail pellets commonly found on the market. They contain Metaldehyde or Iron phosphate and many want to know if it is dangerous for cats, dogs, birds, wildlife and vegetables.
Metaldehyde pellets have existed for a long time and are still easily available in Singapore nurseries. It is highly toxic to animals, not advisable for use around edible plants and it has been reported that once it leaches into waterways, it is difficult to fully remove chemical residues. Overall this is harmful to pets, wildlife and vegetables and not a good idea in my opinion.
Iron phosphate pellets are said to be a safer option compared to Metaldehyde, and safer for cats, dogs, birds and other wildlife, but it can still kill earthworms. Also, it is important to note that dogs get sick after consuming lots of iron. Also, you are exposing yourself to it if it gets on your skin or if you accidentally breathe it in.
But an even safer alternative is not to use these snail pellets altogether. There has been talk about how a caffeine solution is effective but unfortunately this can also kill beneficial insects which your plants need. While it is natural and of organic origin, it is hostile to the ecosystem and I would not recommend it.
Organic slug and snail control
While they have a terrible reputation for decimating plants and need to be kept away from our precious plants, we can take a more ecological approach. This will be better for the garden, the environment, and better for us. Here are some methods you can consider.
If you have a good amount of space in your garden or community garden and regulations permit, you can consider chickens and ducks, or building a pond to attract natural predators like frogs and toads, although a moist environment will also do for toads. In Singapore, you can adopt your chickens and ducks from Backyard Chickens Singapore and Chickenese telegram pages.
One common management method overseas is the use of parasitic nematodes, which can be mail ordered, but this is service is not yet available in Singapore. Other animals that eat slugs and snails include shrews and squirrels. Shrews are quite useful to have around, while not everyone appreciates squirrels, especially if it is an invasive species like the Finlayson’s squirrel.
To prevent slugs and snails from wreaking damage to your plants, you can start with some simple housekeeping techniques. Don’t create habitats that are conducive to them among your prized edible or ornamental plants, and use barriers and repellents.
They like moist environments, and in places with a tropical climate like Singapore, that’s not hard to find. They also like hiding spots like bricks with holes, the underside of plant pots, and underneath planks. Knowing this, we can cover brick holes with sand or small stones, occasionally check the undersides of pots. Make sure you don’t leave pots or planks lying around your vegetable patch.
Aside from this, you can also consider barriers and repellents. Knowing what snails avoid will help you protect your plants.
Bald Cyprus Tree- Taxodium distichum – Growing Bald Cypress
FAQ
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