Are snails attacking your hydrangeas? Here's some ways to combat these pests
With their dense bright green foliage and wonderful summer flowers, hydrangeas are very popular with gardeners and plant lovers. But in humid and/or rainy climes, however, hydrangeas can be vulnerable to snails, which can end up even killing the plant.
Active especially in spring and autumn, snails move around mainly at night and their presence can be detected by spotting shiny snail trails (mucus tracks).
So, how can you deal with this problem? Well, there are many commercial anti-snail products available, but in this article, we provide some DIY solutions as an alternative - read on for more information:
Effective home remedies to combat a snail infestation of your hydrangeas
There are several home remedies that you can use to keep snails away from your hydrangeas, the most effective of which we list here:
- Coffee grounds: often used in gardening as a fertilizer, coffee grounds sprinkled underneath your hydrangeas will help keep snails away from the plants, creating a natural barrier that they will not cross;
- Eggshells are also excellent snails repellents, as well as being a source of nitrogen for the plants: crumbled up and sprinkled on the ground around the hydrangeas, the shell fragments wil repel snails;
- Powdered sulfur and nettle macerate have odors which snails which will stay away from - just sprinkle some around your hydrangeas;
- Finally, copper wire can be placed on the ground around your hydrangeas, creating a barrier snails will not cross.
Other useful remedies to combat snails
Another way to keep snails away from your hydrangeas (and without killing them) is to use bait that attracts them elsewhere: snails prefer decaying organic matter and so, you can place rotten fruit in an area of your garden well away from the hydrangeas for the snails.
Growing aromatic herbs such as lavender or rosemary next to your hydrangeas can be an excellent way to repel snails as they do not like the scents of these plants.
Finally, if you prefer a more "drastic" solution, you can consider introducing snail predators such as toads, garter snakes and turtles into your garden.
Do you know of any other remedies against these unwelcome guests in your garden?