A blog on gardening, life by the sea, photography and wildlife

Thursday 29 May 2014

Helix Aspersa

The sun finally made a appearance this afternoon after some really dismal grey days and wet weather for the best part of two weeks. I gauge time by the number of days we haven`t been able to visit the beach chalet but that`s another story.
So it was off to the plot to catch up not having visited for over a week due to the weather.
First thoughts on arrival were, the plants have grown but then so have the weeds and the wet weather had produced an abundance of slugs and snails, slugs I deal with by organic pellets, snails are a problem the birds don`t seem to eat  them and we have no hedgehogs having a enclosed walled site.
So I walked round the plot picking up as I went and gathered about thirty placed them in a lidded bucket and deposited them on the Langney levels on the way home. We do have hedgehogs there. 


Helix aspersa the common snail


There were several snails eating my few ripe strawberries that I had to pick off. That is really unacceptable
I thought the pot marigolds were bright until I saw these calendula interspersed with california poppies on my neighbours plot
Langney levels 
Welcome to Jean from Shrimpton and Perfect Here



11 comments:

  1. Thrushes are well known for their love of snails. They use a stone as an anvil to smash the shells. In the countryside when it is quiet you can sometimes hear them doing this.

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    1. Haven`t seen any thrushes yet on the plot, (wonder if we could import some)

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  2. Ah! I was out on the patio this morn'in....
    At seven...Collected 18 snails off of my Hosta's.....
    They were also placed in a lidded box...!
    In a couple of weeks they will put in boiling water...
    And...Enjoyed with garlic butter...! :).

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    1. I`ll pass on that Willie although they are a delicacy I am told (probably by a Frenchman)

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  3. We have picked up over one hundred in our garden in the last few days. I share your frustration of them enjoying the plants! Sarah x

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  4. Snails are a pain in the bleep, bleep, bleep. I do have to say though that those are amazing photos you've taken. x

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  5. Fantastic photos even the snails look charming.

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  6. Charming yes friends no Elaine

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  7. I think we have even more slugs and snails this year than before. Is it the mild winter and all the lovely rain? I never really had major problems with them before, and I have a lot of birds and hedgehogs in the garden, yet every day I see snail damage now. :o(

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    1. Hello Helena and welcome to my blog having read your profile I can see why you would have little time to write one yourself, hope the hedgehogs and birds can solve your snail problem, regards,David

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