One of the “tried and tested home remedies” against snails is s alt. Many gardeners do not consider that this remedy for snails is cruel. Find out below what effect s alt has on snails and what animal-friendly alternatives there are.
Should you kill snails with s alt?
If you sprinkle s alt on snails, you kill them. This measure isnot recommended! S alt deprives the snails of water and they die a slow, painful death, writhing. Instead, use snail fences or attract snail-eating beneficial insects to your garden.
Why does s alt kill snails?
S alt is known to attract water. That's why it is used, for example, for red wine stains or other stains caused by liquids. If s alt is sprinkled on snails,Osmosistakes place: The snail's skin is semi-permeable, which means that small particles like water can pass through. Sprinkling s alt on the snail's skin encourages it to equalize the different water concentrations inside and outside the snail. Thisdries up the snail. The same applies to baking soda and baking powder.
What alternative home remedies are available for s alt?
In many forums, home remedies such as garlic, eggshells, coffee or other things are advertised to keep snails away. However, in practice it has been shown that such agents have little to no effect.
The only sensible thing is to use snail fences (€95.00 on Amazon) to protect limited areas such as beds from snails. Beneficial insects such as ducks, geese and birds can also reduce the snail population. Collect the snails in the morning and look for snail eggs to prevent new generations.
Tip
Beer trap instead of s alt?
The beer traps are also not a good solution to your snail problem; It often even makes the infestation worse. Beer traps magically attract snails, but don't always kill them. Besides, a death by drowning is not a nice death either.
