Seeking advice for next year?

[Bloody Boots]

Well, a number of plants lost the battle with snails and slugs this year. After a relatively judicious application of DE a decent percentage were able to recover.

However, what can I do for next year?

I've been attempting to coax some frogs and toads into the yard, built a number of bird houses to welcome potential pest harvesters. And I'm wondering, is there any plants that are a good defense against snails and slugs?

Or any Predatory insects I can attract for next year?

[cynthia_h]

Ducks will hunt for snails and slugs. A gardener I used to know in the Bay Area had a pet duck who patrolled her plant beds and kept them snail-free. I think the duck also ate slugs, but whether it hunted them down or the gardener gathered them for the duck, I don't remember.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[applestar]

Snails are good source of calcium for nesting birds. Maintaining a birdbath -- or even better, a water feature with running water like fountains or waterfalls -- will attract robins which doesn't come to the feeder or birdhouse. They and the normally unwelcome grackles are supposedly good at hunting snails and slugs. In early mornings, I see the grackles strutting around the garden poking in the mulch and other places that I would consider good snail/slug hiding places.

Also, do you have fireflies/lightning bugs in your area? Their baby fireflies eat baby slugs. This may be entirely subjective, but it seems like we have more fireflies in our organic/no chemical use for over 12 years garden than in our neighbors', and DH who often comes home after sunset seems to think so too.