German gardeners combat snail infestations with traps, bait and sacrificial plants

Garden snails such as the Spanish snail and the common garden slug cause significant damage to vegetables and ornamental plants across German gardens. Home growers are advised to combine several control methods: manually picking slugs at night, setting wet fabric traps, using snail‑bait pellets (with caution because the poison is hazardous to dogs and cats), installing snail fences, and employing natural predators like chickens or ducks.

A garden professional, Mattias Nemeth, recommends planting “Opfer‑Pflanzen einsetzen” – sacrificial crops such as spinach, lettuce, carrots, beetroot or basil – around the area to be protected, diverting snails away from valuable plants. He also uses wooden boards that stay damp to gather snails for removal. Alternative killing methods mentioned include pouring boiling water over collected snails; salt or baking powder are discouraged because they cause a slow, painful death.