Many thanks for your informative reply. I find the snails are very sneaky and devour the plants when I am not there. (Have never seen one in action). It's not until the next day when I go to the allotment I find the damage. Have tried the broken egg shells but that didn't make any difference.
Was thinking of putting a spot of Tippex on the shell ( if that's not unkind) and after disposing of them I would know if they had found their way back! If they had I suppose I should congratulate them!
Don't really have the means for hanging baskets but plenty of pots. At least I do know which plants they are not interested in as they flourished. Quite soul destroying sometimes when you see the damage.
Lovely to hear from you and thanks for your advice. All will be revealed come Spring.
P.S. pbff are the initials of my sisters and me. (One now sadly departed)
Not going to be a great help I'm afraid but it is interesting to mark snails and see who does what and where. When I first started to do this, I used nail varnish (just a tiny blob numbered 1, 2 3, etc.) and parked them in various neighbouring gardens ( luckily had kind /mad neighbours ). Most returned eventually and it was possible to work out who had to traverse a stone wall, a fence, a country road or avoid Toads and other predators and how long it took them to get back into my garden.
Not everyone's cup of tea but probably more entertaining than day time TV
SLS supporters might enjoy this story. At a summer fete last year, I organized a competition for children to collect wild flowers in a bag and bring them to be identified. One little girl also picked up a couple of snails. By the time she brought her bag to me, they had found each other and were busy making more snails. "Oh look!"" said the child, "they're kissing!"
Love your story and as you say it is more entertaining than day time TV. What isn't?
Sounds like a school project my Granddaughter would have to partake in. Nothing at school these days seems easy. When the time comes I shall try it out. Would have to carry them across the road and put them out the back and as it is a terrace it would be a miracle if they found their way back. But who knows...
Fran - it could well be a project for your GD - that way at least you could pretend it was her idea and you wouldn't be accused of being slightly mad
On a slightly different note, I was intrigued by a radio prog early this am. It concerned Patricia Highsmith ( author ). Apparently she often acted rather strangely - using a candle to set fire to her hair at a dinner party when she thought the conversation was in danger of flagging somewhat was one example.
Another was her propensity to hide Snails in her bra. She was very fond of snails and when travelling between France and the UK, she would hide the snails she had collected in her bra in order to avoid nosey Customs Officers. This was ( I think ) back in the 60's sometime. She was also known to suddenly produce snails from her handbag.
That bit of useless information should at least make this thread appear almost normal I think
Also I would like to mention in support of my application that one of the first occupants of my new pond this year was a snail; a tiny, black thing that grazes on the algae on the pond liner. Lovely.
Philippa - Good idea I shall bear that in mind. Loved the story of Patricia Highsmith. Just googled her and will look out for one of her books. Could be a good read.
Excellent retort from Papi Jo. Very quick off the mark.
I would never have known what the necklace was Cloggie. Lovely photo. I am sure you will be welcomed by the other posters in SLS.
Fran - your Tippex idea sounds a good one - as Philippa said, perhaps a project for you and your grand-daughter to do together and you can at least pretend that it's all in the name of education!
Josusa - love your summer fete story.
Philippa - you seem to have had great fun tracking your snails - maybe an idea for an SLS competition later in the year - 'Longest Distance Covered By A Snail'.
I don't think I should like to keep snails in such an unusual place as Patricia Highsmith - nor would I like to set fire to my hair to liven up a dinner. I suppose I could try releasing some snails out of a handbag at the dining table though....
Cloggie - welcome to the SLS!
Glad to hear that you're gardening for the benefit of snails!
Can't see your photo at the mo, as for some reason it won't load - hopefully will be able to see it soon though.
Posts
pbff
Many thanks for your informative reply. I find the snails are very sneaky and devour the plants when I am not there. (Have never seen one in action). It's not until the next day when I go to the allotment I find the damage. Have tried the broken egg shells but that didn't make any difference.
Was thinking of putting a spot of Tippex on the shell ( if that's not unkind) and after disposing of them I would know if they had found their way back! If they had I suppose I should congratulate them!
Don't really have the means for hanging baskets but plenty of pots. At least I do know which plants they are not interested in as they flourished. Quite soul destroying sometimes when you see the damage.
Lovely to hear from you and thanks for your advice. All will be revealed come Spring.
P.S. pbff are the initials of my sisters and me. (One now sadly departed)
Fran - welcome to the SLS
Not going to be a great help I'm afraid but it is interesting to mark snails and see who does what and where. When I first started to do this, I used nail varnish (just a tiny blob numbered 1, 2 3, etc.) and parked them in various neighbouring gardens ( luckily had kind /mad neighbours ). Most returned eventually and it was possible to work out who had to traverse a stone wall, a fence, a country road or avoid Toads and other predators and how long it took them to get back into my garden.
Not everyone's cup of tea but probably more entertaining than day time TV
SLS supporters might enjoy this story. At a summer fete last year, I organized a competition for children to collect wild flowers in a bag and bring them to be identified. One little girl also picked up a couple of snails. By the time she brought her bag to me, they had found each other and were busy making more snails. "Oh look!"" said the child, "they're kissing!"
Hi Philippa
Thanks for your welcome.
Love your story and as you say it is more entertaining than day time TV. What isn't?
Sounds like a school project my Granddaughter would have to partake in. Nothing at school these days seems easy. When the time comes I shall try it out. Would have to carry them across the road and put them out the back and as it is a terrace it would be a miracle if they found their way back. But who knows...
Josusa
Fran - it could well be a project for your GD - that way at least you could pretend it was her idea and you wouldn't be accused of being slightly mad
On a slightly different note, I was intrigued by a radio prog early this am. It concerned Patricia Highsmith ( author ). Apparently she often acted rather strangely - using a candle to set fire to her hair at a dinner party when she thought the conversation was in danger of flagging somewhat was one example.
Another was her propensity to hide Snails in her bra. She was very fond of snails and when travelling between France and the UK, she would hide the snails she had collected in her bra in order to avoid nosey Customs Officers. This was ( I think ) back in the 60's sometime. She was also known to suddenly produce snails from her handbag.
That bit of useless information should at least make this thread appear almost normal I think
@philippa,
Interesting bit of information about Patricia Highsmith. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "Thereby hangs a snail".
Papi Jo
Can I join please?
Also I would like to mention in support of my application that one of the first occupants of my new pond this year was a snail; a tiny, black thing that grazes on the algae on the pond liner. Lovely.
Philippa - Good idea I shall bear that in mind. Loved the story of Patricia Highsmith. Just googled her and will look out for one of her books. Could be a good read.
Excellent retort from Papi Jo. Very quick off the mark.
I would never have known what the necklace was Cloggie. Lovely photo. I am sure you will be welcomed by the other posters in SLS.
Hi all,
Fran - your Tippex idea sounds a good one - as Philippa said, perhaps a project for you and your grand-daughter to do together and you can at least pretend that it's all in the name of education!
Josusa - love your summer fete story.
Philippa - you seem to have had great fun tracking your snails - maybe an idea for an SLS competition later in the year - 'Longest Distance Covered By A Snail'.
I don't think I should like to keep snails in such an unusual place as Patricia Highsmith - nor would I like to set fire to my hair to liven up a dinner. I suppose I could try releasing some snails out of a handbag at the dining table though....
Cloggie - welcome to the SLS!
Glad to hear that you're gardening for the benefit of snails!
Can't see your photo at the mo, as for some reason it won't load - hopefully will be able to see it soon though.