'Pests' includes a lot of animals besides snails. I don't know whether snails attack alliums, but some pests definitely do. And even if animals don't like them, that benefit wouldn't last into the next year. Every year is kind of a fresh new world for pests.

As far as snails go, the snails come out at night. If you go out at night with a flashlight and a bag, you can collect many snails in the bag. They slowly crawl out, and you may have to periodically put them back down in the bottom of the bag. Do this several nights in a row. It will make a difference. You can relocate the snails far away from your veggie garden, or kill them humanely somehow (freeze them or feed them to crows or whatever).

Snails favor damp conditions. Don't over-water. Let the garden dry out as much as possible in between watering. (If you have lots of rain, not much you can do...).

Remove snail habitat. They like to hide somewhere dark and damp during the day. Under low plants, in the leaf litter, under old tarps. You can seek them out by day in those places, and also, you can remove the leaf litter, trim low branches and leaves, and generally reduce snail habitat around your veggies.

Copper definitely doesn't work, or didn't for me. Snails crawl right over it with no sign of distress. There are certain types of mechanical barriers which are not passable for snails. It is hard to describe, so I will link to a picture. I think this would only work if you have a nice raised bed or are doing container gardening. Note that the barrier in the picture is made of copper, but I don't think that matters. The reason it works is that they simply cannot contort their bodies around that sharp edge to get past the barrier.

Good luck, and don't get discouraged!

--McKenzie

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:366912}}

We had way too many slugs until we got a small flock of free-ranging laying hens a little over a year ago. The slugs are gone along with most other bugs. Somebody needs to start a rent-a-hen program for gardeners plagued with slugs and snails.

I do not think there is such a thing as Slug/Snail repellent.. And of course they have favorites. Although they don't eat alliums, but alliums are not deterrent .
The best way is HUNTING them early in the season. The next best thing is using Slug baits. ( bait is a wrong terminology here, as slugs do not eat it nor it is an attractor or repellant. It just kills S&S as they crawl over it)

Things like Copper band, if they work, can only be used in small scale container gardening. But to me, if you want to combat them, DO NOT KID AROUND, kill them. And reduce their population. Then it will be much easier to control them the following years.

This post was edited by seysonn on Mon, Aug 12, 13 at 5:49

I used to work in a garden center and we sold a snail and slug bait. Lowe's still has it for sale now. Not sure how it works. We don't have snails or slugs down here, but tons of more bad bugs instead.

As previously mentioned - I had slugs and sails until my chickens got out of their coop. Now my neighbors "rent" a hen early in the year for about a week. I don't let them take a hen after any of their garden has set fruit because my hens will find it and eat it.

Have you neighbors with chickens?

I have friends with chickens. A little to far to 'borrow' but perhaps I could get a few chicks early in the season, let them slug hunt, and then give them to friends with chickens for the balance of season....

Got more snails and slugs than I have days to live. Easy to avoid them and steer them away.

Just don't provide the environment they like. Keep your veggies away from lots of weeds and other green growth. Mulch with grass clipping that are too warm for them as they decompose. Or nice dry leaf mulch that you made with your bagging mower. They are not fond of that at all.

Hand pick the slugs that make it through the barriers. Some will, but not many. Snails, too. Toss em in the woods where they will find their way. Karma counts. Understand that all forms of life seek only to survive. Just like you and me. Live and let live, y'all...