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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 14:32:30 GMT -5
It's been a really bad year for snails. These are not California native snails, but the European snails (escargot) that were turned loose a century or so ago. They are snails for eating, and they are a scourge to anyone who wants to garden because they eat so many garden veggies and flowers.
The snails had been in more or less control during the drought, but they love moist conditions. So with our winter rains, and now the coastal fog/overcast, they have been in heaven.
There are snail and slug baits, but I dont use those. Some people set out shallow bowls of stale beer, but that's not been effective for me. I dont want to kill just a few, I'm going for lots of them.
Over the years, the best method I've found is to simply pick them up by hand, and then kill them. This is best done in early morning when it's still damp, or in the evening after sunset - with a flashlight. And you can't do this just once, you must do it over and over again. And that's what I've been doing.
So, yesterday morning I collected almost 2.2 pounds of them. And that is a lot. But on previous days I've collected similar amounts. 2.8, 2.7, 2.2 (yesterdays), 1.8, 1.7, 1.7, and 1.3. That is getting close to 15 pounds of snails. And this does not even count the very many on other days that I have just stepped on to kill.
I am making good progress. There are areas where I've been diligent, and it's becoming difficult to find any. When the weather dries more, it wont be nearly as bad.
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Post by paquebot on Jun 17, 2019 16:33:33 GMT -5
I've been out there a few times and have seen them. Oddly enough, every one that I ever saw was about the same size. Brought some back for a terrarium one time and surprised at the amount of lettuce they could go through in a day. Thus I can imagine what they can do to a garden.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 18:31:39 GMT -5
They definitely can be destructive. They have skeletinized more than one plant this year.
My snails this year are all sizes, from not much more than 2mm egg sized (they are both male and female (hermaphrodites), and lay clusters of white eggs in moist soil) When they hatch, they are tiny. Those I just crush with my fingers since they are too small to pick up. Then size-wise up to well over an inch.
They can eat a lot, but fortunately they eat dead stuff too, not only green leaves. They also eat ground mulch. They also can be found eating the remains of their dead comrades a couple days after I've stepped on some. Good protein source.
Earlier in the season I had been collecting some really large ones for a friend. Her older, foreign-born mother wanted them to cook. I put them into a plastic bin covered with fine wire, and fed them daily chopped romaine and a corn masa slurry. They ate a lot. I dont use poisons, but you never know what the neighbors might be putting out, especially in a bad snail year.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 17, 2019 18:49:16 GMT -5
That is getting close to 15 pounds of snails. All I can say is WOW. I'll bet that my chickens would love eating those. Do they have shells?
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Post by bestofour on Jun 17, 2019 18:56:07 GMT -5
Wonder if something like diatomaceous earth food grade would work at keeping them out of your garden.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 21:20:59 GMT -5
Wonder if something like diatomaceous earth food grade would work at keeping them out of your garden. Hmm, that might be worth a try. At least around some of the more sensitive things. I only know about pool grade however. I suspect food grade DE might be much more expensive and perhaps hard to find.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jun 17, 2019 21:23:27 GMT -5
I've seen them on the menu, but I ain't ever et any of em.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 21:23:56 GMT -5
That is getting close to 15 pounds of snails. All I can say is WOW. I'll bet that my chickens would love eating those. Do they have shells? Yes, they do have shells. The younger snails have very soft ones. I have a friend with chickens and she gives her collected snails to them. The yokes from those eggs are the most orange I've ever seen. I seem to remember it took awhile for them to 'warm up' to eating the snails. I used to throw small snails and slugs into the pond when I had koi - they loved them.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 21:26:21 GMT -5
I've seen them on the menu, but I ain't ever et any of em. I have never eaten any of them either. And I don't intend to. Ever! I wish I could get over that gag reflex because there are so many of them, and they would be good, inexpensive protein. I watched a YouTube video of someone preparing them and I almost got sick.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 21:32:17 GMT -5
A friend recently told me that snail slime is now a popular ingredient in cosmetics. I just went to Amazon and looked up 'snail slime extract', and there were a number of products for the skin. All I know is that when I come in from collecting snails, it''s difficult to get that sticky gunk off my hands!
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Post by Gianna on Jun 17, 2019 22:06:20 GMT -5
Wonder if something like diatomaceous earth food grade would work at keeping them out of your garden. I just looked it up. Snails and slugs dont like to 'crawl' over it, but some will. It apparently does kill them by dehydration or something. It also apparently loses its effectiveness when it gets moist, and in snail season, it's frequently moist here from the marine layer fog. Also diatomaceous earth kills other insects, and I dont especially want to do that. Interesting information. I had no idea.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 18, 2019 9:25:26 GMT -5
These must be like the ones I saw in the rain forest in Puerto Rico. They were very large and had shells.
In my part of the country we only have slugs which are like little snails without shells but they can also do a lot of damage because there are so many of them. They come out at night and eat holes in my plants. I use an organic bait around my bean plants when they are small but after they get larger it is not usually necessary.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jun 18, 2019 10:01:17 GMT -5
Yeah, I have never seen any of the large snails here, either. I do have lots of slugs, especially in the rainy season. I also see small snails from time to time. But they are less of a problem in most years than my big scourges: armyworms and leaf-footed bugs. I can't imagine picking 15 pounds of snails from my garden in a week! While you are still getting a lot, maybe you can trade some to your friend with chickens for a few eggs?
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Jun 18, 2019 10:58:30 GMT -5
I've seen them on the menu, but I ain't ever et any of em. I have never eaten any of them either. And I don't intend to. Ever! I wish I could get over that gag reflex because there are so many of them, and they would be good, inexpensive protein. I watched a YouTube video of someone preparing them and I almost got sick. Can’t be any worse than raw oysters. I heard a kid say once that they look like a giant booger.
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Post by paulf on Jun 18, 2019 11:39:16 GMT -5
Different parts of the country and world have different pests to battle. Every once in a while I will read threads like this one just to see what you have to go through. Thank goodness I don't have to fight snails or aphids (from another thread). Growing up in northwest Oregon my Dad had to fight slugs in his garden and did it with dishes of beer. Did it really work?
Why is it I wouldn't eat snails but when we visited St. Georges Island in Florida we went on a boat ride around the area and the guide jumped in the shallow water, picked up oysters from the bottom, split them open and I ate a bunch...raw. They were delicious. But then I like oysters, so this was just like store bought oysters only so much better like the difference between store bought and home grown produce.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jun 18, 2019 13:20:05 GMT -5
I have never eaten any of them either. And I don't intend to. Ever! I wish I could get over that gag reflex because there are so many of them, and they would be good, inexpensive protein. I watched a YouTube video of someone preparing them and I almost got sick. Can’t be any worse than raw oysters. I heard a kid say once that they look like a giant booger. Yeah I can't go for them either. My brother likes them. Of course he eats rare steak too. Apples on a stick, makes me sick, makes my stomach go 246.
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Post by september on Jun 18, 2019 13:56:15 GMT -5
I'd eat them if someone else would cook them and present me with the finished dish. I need my oysters cooked too.
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Post by bestofour on Jun 18, 2019 15:52:38 GMT -5
paulf, I've never tasted oysters because of the texture but I'll bet fresh from the ocean right at the moment you find them is extremely tasty.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 18, 2019 16:01:38 GMT -5
I'll eat the butter and garlic.. but I'll put it on French bread and lightly toast it!
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Post by paquebot on Jun 18, 2019 18:01:25 GMT -5
Always loved oysters since back in the 1940s when they were only available fresh and seasonal. When Fabian Seafood used to stop here, I'd open a pint and eat half of them right on the spot. Now snack on tinned smoked oysters from Dollar Tree. Just had a tin two days ago.
For slugs, visit Denmark about now. There are some monster black ones which one can feel if run over with a car. In parts of that country and other parts of North Europe, there is a hybrid one now that is also a giant. I saw them in Germany and happy that they are there and not here.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 18, 2019 18:45:52 GMT -5
cphpost.dk/news/denmark-under-siege-by-army-of-killer-snails.html"Spanish slugs out in force thanks to mild and wet spring" The article is from a couple years ago and probably isnt the one you mention. Looks like every one is having problems. In northern California there is a very large slug called the banana slug cuz it's yellowish. I dont think they are garden pests however. I think they remain in the N. Coastal Forest. I've seen one or maybe two in our mountains where there is a wee bit of remaining N. Coastal Forest. But it's too dry down here for them.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 18, 2019 20:28:16 GMT -5
For those who want it:
Snail Butter Beurre d'escargot
For 24-32 snails
8 oz unsalted euro-butter, softened 2 tb minced shallots 1 tb minced garlic 3 tb chopped parsley 1 tb chopped chervil (or more parsley) 1 tb dry white wine 1 tsp cognac Kosher salt to taste (about 1 tsp) Freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp) Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Mix together all of the ingredients, adjusting the seasonings to taste. Regrigerate overnight. Soften again, before combining with the snails in shells, or in ramekims. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for about 10 min., or until bubbling well. Serve with freshly baked bread, to soak up all the butter!
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 18, 2019 20:42:58 GMT -5
Sounds good except for the part about the snails.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 18, 2019 21:11:04 GMT -5
Yes, that's what a lot of people say, brownrexx. It can also be used with other things - scallops, shrimp, and other shellfish, or cubes of fish. And probably many other things!
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Post by paquebot on Jun 18, 2019 23:08:13 GMT -5
Those Spanish slugs were in the Frankfurt area when we were there in 1997. They had not yet gotten up to Denmark. On HF there is a member from Denmark and she has them now. The big black ones were never a problem but those Spanish beasts are. As I recall, she also reported some hybrids. Makes it all more ugly.
If we had edible snails here, no doubt that my son could cook them. He attended university in Aix en Provence for his junior year. He never told me what he was doing with his spare time. First thing that he showed me when he got home was an official chef certificate. He went to chef school in his off time!
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by bestofour on Jun 19, 2019 16:57:45 GMT -5
Good for your son paquebot. Talk about using your time wisely.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jun 20, 2019 9:53:23 GMT -5
Yes, indeed. Making a gourmet meal is a great way to impress a date, too.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 20, 2019 16:42:48 GMT -5
Between yesterday and today, I collected about another pint of snails outside. Haven't weighed them yet. I probably won't. They are fortunately getting more difficult to find.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 30, 2019 8:18:13 GMT -5
Most mornings I am still going out early to collect how many snails I can find. There are fewer by far, but still enough to make it worthwhile. I don't always weigh them, but did yesterday. It was just over a half pound on a slow day. Considering all that have jsut been stepped on, or collected without weighing, there is no doubt this year I've collected well over 20 pounds of snails. That is approaching the weight of 3 gallons of water. Crickey!!Going out to see what i can find right now... Wish me luck - or rather bad luck and not finding any. That'll be the day! edit: today's snail haul.. 4.5 pound. So yesterday's total, plus today, is about another pound of snails removed from the garden. It was just barely moist today. Best collecting is 'very moist', but not raining.
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Post by farmerjack41 on Jun 30, 2019 9:23:32 GMT -5
Would crushed egg shells effect snails like they do slugs? I use them in the strawberry patch with good success.
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