Snails can be a gardener’s worst nightmare, destroying beloved flowers or crops in a matter of hours, but there is a simple way to keep them out of your garden.
These pesky pests tend to be more active in late summer because it’s right in the middle of their breeding season and gardens are more likely to be filled with vegetables ready for harvest so they have more to eat.
Instead of buying sprays or pellets filled with chemicals that can harm local animals such as birds, cats or foxes, there is a natural way to stop snails from munching on your garden.
Sheryl Normandeau, master gardener and founder of Flowery Prose, has a simple “proven” homemade trap made from yeast to keep slugs from getting near plants.
He said: “Beer traps have long been used to control slugs, but there’s another way to trap them that doesn’t involve handing out precious drinks (because really, why should slugs get the good stuff?). Try this very basic yeast trap instead.”
How does this homemade trap work to keep slugs away?
It may seem strange, but when yeast is mixed with sugar and water, it ferments, producing both carbon dioxide and alcohol, which is an incredibly attractive scent to a slug.
Snails go crazy eating the yeast solution, making it a very effective bait for trapping snails. Snails are lured in, fall into the trap and then drown.
This is a very cheap and non-toxic way to keep slugs at bay and is safe to use around pets, local wildlife and beneficial insects in the garden.
How to keep snails out of your garden using a homemade trap
You will need:
- 240 ml of water
- One teaspoon of sugar
- Half a teaspoon of dry yeast
You will also need a shallow container that can be leveled with soil for the snails to crawl into.
Sheryl said: “Find your recycling bin for shallow containers and sink everything you collect into the garden bed with the tops of the containers at ground level.”
The most suitable containers are yogurt containers, sandwich boxes or old shallow bowls such as pet bowls that are no longer used.
However, do not use your pet’s bowl as snails can be a serious health risk for dogs as they can contain lungworms which can be fatal to dogs if infected. Only use a pet bowl that the animal is no longer using.
Instructions:
All you need to do is place a shallow container a short distance from the protected plants (about a meter or two) to attract the snails.
It is best to place the trap along garden paths or in shady places where snails are attracted.
Make sure the container is level with the soil or just slightly above the ground so that the snails can easily crawl inside.
Fill the container with water, add both sugar and yeast and then mix everything together.
Leave the trap overnight and check it in the morning. There should be dozens of dead snails.
Sheryl said, “Then go pop a beer and enjoy the rest of the night. The slugs come out at night, so check the traps the next morning and dispose of the contents.”
Dump the contents of the trap and refill every few days or as needed for a very effective way to stop slugs from damaging your garden.
