Snails eating my young Cherry trees

[CubanBenny]

Snails have started to eat a lot of the leaves on my young Fruiting Cherry trees. Any advice to halt their attach?

The trees are about 2/3 years old and are being grown in very large pots. Organic slug pellets by the base of the tree perhaps?

[Jungle Jane]

Slug pellets aren’t organic,they get away with saying that because each separate ingredient is ok on its own but when the chemicals are mixed together it creates a more toxic chemical affecting earthworms,hedgehogs & more. Could you go out at night with a torch & collect them in a bottle of salty water,I used to do that but then you have to get rid of the container,Ive started smashing them on a stone & leaving it for the blackbirds,it sounds mean but deaths probably quicker so it’s kind?

Pene uses a safe for wildlife slug deterrent but I can’t remember what it is?

[nickdub]

put something round the trunk of the tree to stop the snails climbing up - piece of grease-proof paper tied round with string and coated with bearing grease for example.

[ameno]

Slug pellets aren’t organic,they get away with saying that because each separate ingredient is ok on its own but when the chemicals are mixed together it creates a more toxic chemical affecting earthworms,hedgehogs & more. Could you go out at night with a torch & collect them in a bottle of salty water,I used to do that but then you have to get rid of the container,Ive started smashing them on a stone & leaving it for the blackbirds,it sounds mean but deaths probably quicker so it’s kind?

Pene uses a safe for wildlife slug deterrent but I can’t remember what it is?

I don't think potential toxicity is really an issue in a pot, to be honest. A hedgehog isn't going to be able to get to the top of the pot, and the pot will likely have few, if any earthworms.

[fluffybunnyuk]

build a small shallow pond 1mm at edge to 30cm deep in centre maybe 0.5 metre wide by 1 metre long. put stones at thin side to create a watering spot for animals, plant things that attract wildlife especially toads/frogs.
Say bye bye to slugs permanently. Its hard for slugs when they are being eaten quicker than they can breed. would you crawl across a patio for food or nookie if you thought something was going to eat you?

[Jungle Jane]

I don't think potential toxicity is really an issue in a pot, to be honest. A hedgehog isn't going to be able to get to the top of the pot, and the pot will likely have few, if any earthworms.

Secondary poisoning,the snail/slug won’t eat just one pellet & die on the spot,on its travels it will be found by hedgehogs etc. My pots have loads of worms in them,they travel from the ground into the pot because of the nice wet environment. Do you not have many worms,the pellets affect earthworms feeding habits too,they’re not good for them,I’d stop using them.

[ameno]

In that case, they would be better off using non-"organic" pellets. Metaldehyde really does kill slugs pretty much on the spot, so hedgehogs will never reach them, and unlike ferric phosphate, has been proven harmless to worms.

[Urban]

if its in a pot, you could try putting some of that copper tape around the pot maybe, it does seem to work

I once put 2 rings of garden wire around one of my raised beds, about an inch apart, and connected each one to the terminal of a 9v battery, when the slugs/snails tried to cross it they completed the circuit and it gave them a massive shock, I didn't get and slugs/snails in that bed that year, it killed a few worms though so I felt a bit guilty and didn't do it again

also you could try filling the top of the pot all around the trunk with perlite, they don't seem to like to cross the perlite

Don't use slug pellets they kill to much other stuff, there being banned anyway I have heard

[CubanBenny]

Some great tips thanks.

A pond and some call ducks is definitely on my to do list at the moment. Just need to get the time, hopefully after harvest period this year.

Copper tape around the pot sounds like a good idea too. However the trees are grown fan style against a wooden fence. So I guess i'll need a copper tape perimeter on the fence too (the snails climb from the fence onto the tree).

Interesting I grow about 8 different types of fruit trees at age 2/3 years, and only the Cherry Trees are affected. (Well the Quince tree has been hit a little)

[Urban]

Some great tips thanks.

A pond and some call ducks is definitely on my to do list at the moment. Just need to get the time, hopefully after harvest period this year.

Copper tape around the pot sounds like a good idea too. However the trees are grown fan style against a wooden fence. So I guess i'll need a copper tape perimeter on the fence too (the snails climb from the fence onto the tree).

Interesting I grow about 8 different types of fruit trees at age 2/3 years, and only the Cherry Trees are affected. (Well the Quince tree has been hit a little)

I think aphids like to overwinter in cherry trees also