snails and slugs, oh my

We haven’t checked if this is factually accurate, but we’re pretty sure our plot’s the only one at Ocean View Farms with random concrete pieces/rocks for our walls. We’re actually quite proud of it – well, Andrew, mostly. We didn’t have to pay a nickel to construct it, and surely we absorbed plenty of good karma for turning some dude’s construction trash into something that serves a real, hopefully lasting purpose.

What didn’t cross our minds at the time was how our walls would also become Club Med for Snails.

Indeed, all the nooks and crannies are the perfect habitats for these slimy gastropods to gather, stay cool and chillax during the day:

At night, they sneak out and descend on the buffet, leaving telltale evidence of their nocturnal partying in the form of massive holes and shimmery, web-like trails all over the choicest of vegetables:

Crushed eggshells sprinkled around each plant – supposedly the sharp edges would dissuade these soft-bodied beasts from going any farther – didn’t work. Ground cornmeal – apparently they’d eat the grit and it would cause massive pain (i.e. kill them) – didn’t work either. Neither did beer traps – cups of beer sunk into the dirt, in which they’d approach, drink and drown.

After they decimated half of our pea plants, I went to one of the Japanese nurseries on Sawtelle Avenue in West L.A. for replacement seedlings. I explained my snail problem to the owner and he suggested Sluggo Plus, an organic bait that contains snail/slug-killing iron phosphate:

Iron phosphate is an organic compound that is found naturally in the soil, and if the bait is not consumed by a slug or snail, the material breaks down into soil fertilizer. There are also chemical baits that use methaldyhde, but these are toxic to animals (e.g. humans, potentially), so obviously they’re not nearly as safe, and not allowed at our garden, anyway.

But my real gripe: Why oh why do the pellets have to be this bright green color?

So much for trying to keep it low-pro – the last thing I want are nosy gardeners wondering what kind of rat poison I’m using. (The same fear I had when we sprayed down our squash and tomato plants last year with totally natural neon-colored copper fungicide.) There’s got to be a way for organic pest controls to look a little more organic-y, no?

Will report back on the iron phosphate’s efficacy. If this doesn’t work, I don’t know what will. Escargots, anyone?