I've had luck with putting a ring of cardboard around the seedlings, as you would do for cut worms. Also getting rid of all mulch materials.

Would beer traps work for snails like they do for slugs? Or sluggo?

Thanks for the insights... it hadn't occurred to me that the little white pellets were salt-based. I thought they were some sort of bait, but they are more barrier than poison if I understand it. Hmmm. I put a LOT of the pellets down this morning before work... it rained heavily here the past few days and I needed to replenish the pellets. Should I consider sweeping them up when I get home? Are they the equivalent of "salting the fields"? I don't think they are doing much for the snails anyway... no slugs at all, but lemme tell you, there's some crowd of the snails out there. I'll try the collars. And I'm intrigued by the idea of turning the snails into bird food. Any other suggestions?

Ducks.

Although salt will kill slugs and snails it is incorrect to assume slug pellets are salt based. It would be pretty odd to market a garden product which killed plants. They are either Metaldehyde or Iron Phospate. They are bait but also poison. They are not a barrier. You don't need to put piles of the things down. A thin scattering will do the job. The correct usage is on the pack instructions.

Anything that works for slugs also works for snails. But in real gastropod country nothing eliminates them completely.

Although some species of birds eat slugs or snails most prefer not to.

Copper barriers are useful for slugs and snails.

Creative, pay attention to floral's comments, and to the others who have suggested beer traps, Sluggo, and copper rings.

I don't know where miss moose is finding her information, but it's not factual.

Lol... formerly_creativeguy probably lives in the middle of a city, but I still say... ducks! http://www.molluscs.at/gastropoda/index.html?/gastropoda/garden.html - Just for funz, use the search engine... DuckDuckGo!

Or... go gastro on those gastros! lol... not sure if there are certain varieties of snails that are inedible, but aren't they popular in France?

I would ask a local farmer or garden store owner

I guess the whole reason I'm asking about these things is that the stuff I typically use to control slugs (extremely effectively) doesn't seem to be working on these mini-snails for some reason. I'd have thought the same kinds of controls would be effective, but at least in the case of the slug pellets I'm being proven wrong. Also interesting to note that the snails are only in one area of my property... I haven't seen them in any of my other beds. They're separated by 100 yards or so from other beds, but that doesn't seem like too far to travel for a good meal. Maybe they're Melon Snails...

Agree that salt is not an issue with the slug/snail controls. And when all else fails hand picking them and tossing them into a bucket of salty water works well.

Dave

Did I miss what the name of this 'stuff' is? Or what stuff is in this 'stuff'?

I never had snail but I use ammonia + water in a spray bottle for slugs - it just melts them. The nice thing is when spraying it often finds some I didn't see. You can tell cuz they start squirming.
Also nice if you don't like to touch em. But scissors also work on slugs too. But you have to see each one.

I think beer will attract em from the neighbors yard, But maybe that is the problem - something in that area is an attractant?

This is the stuff.

Have you tried diatomaceous earth?

I have a huge problem with slugs, but I've never had any snails. I know the mulch really attracts slugs pull bugs and earwigs. I use slugg o but we have had a ton of rain and the slugg o just molds on the ground. Doesn't ammonia kill everything including your plants? And it's a toxic chemical.

Cayenne Pepper in powder form works great so does Diatomaceous Earth, Both would be organic

<Slug Magic is a biodegradable product that consists of a naturally occurring mineral - iron phosphate. Once slugs or snails ingest Slug Magic, they stop eating>
Maybe you are expecting it to work immediately? Or the 'stuff' acts as an attractant? Is iron phosphate also toxic?

I have been using ammonia + water for many years and have not lost any plants due to its use. While it is toxic to slugs it dissipates quickly so hasn't bothered me and will likely only bother people who have a genetic disease or are in liver failure.

I suppose IF that were the case mixing baking soda + water in a spray bottle might work tho it might clog the spray nozzle.

IMO iron phosphate, ammonia, & scissors are all organic. And when battling slugs or snails you need all three to be effective. I always keep scissors and s spray bottle of ammonia in the garden.

Iron phosphate I keep in the shed and I think it may attract more slugs to the plants so I only use it sparingly and away from tender seedlings.

Regarding the ammonia and water... what ratio do you use? And are there implications associated with its use? Will it harm foliage? Impact human consumption? Affect beneficial organisms? Not to get all biologist on you or anything... just curious about your experience. There appear to be almost as many snails as slug pellets around the seedlings (which, unlike the snails, are dwindling in number) this morning. I actually swept the beds with a broom to collect the snails this morning... got a couple of shovel-fulls of them. Frankly, the broom is pretty good for this, I'm finding. Of course, the damage is already done by the time I'm able to sweep in daylight hours. Thanks to all for the ongoing discussion!

I tell folks to mix their own ratio but you can start with 2 parts ammonia to 8 parts water. Look for a reaction to the slug/snail, if none add more until you see/get a reaction.

<I have been using ammonia + water for many years and have not lost any plants due to its use.>

I have seen no reaction even using straight ammonia as I said it dissipates quickly. When spraying my mixed blend when earthworms are contacted they seem irritated but it doesn't kill them - to me that's a good thing cuz if it did I wouldn't use it.

I use rainwater to water my plants so as to not upset the soil bacteria with chlorine. Is chlorine toxic?

IF you haven't had a soil test perform professionally by your local college or Agriculture Dept - I would strongly suggest you do.

Have you gardened in this area before? What are you using for mulch?

Not knowing what part of the world you are in, I am thinking you either have a low Ph or are attracting these critters some other way. Is there anything yeasty in the area? Bread maybe?

I'm in Ridgefield, neighbor. No mulch yet, but it'll be fine natural wood. Water is from a well. The area of the impacted bed had a cattle watering trough 3 years ago... along with the attendant cow manure. I'm thinking that may well be the snail source somehow. I haven't gardened in this area due to concerns about uncomposted manure prior to this.

Seems like you're experiencing an infestation/population explosion. I've had great results from using the iron phosphate based slug/snail bait for that - but I have to keep up & make sure to surround the areas I want to protect. The photo in OP looks like a baby snail - snails lay many, many, many eggs & hatchlings are practically invisible to the naked eye.

I get mine @ Home Depot

Formerly, your Slug Magic clearly has the instructions for use on the label. It explains that it's a bait, how much to use per square yard, etc.

" Not to get all biologist on you or anything... "

Too funny.

I hope that you find some help. Maybe a hair dryer held to each snail? French recipe book?

I don't know if this is the same snail that, after weeks of rain on the Maine coast, were gobbling up so many plants. I even spotted one on a daylily stalk.

From where do snails come that they can seem to appear out of thin air? Seriously.

Sweeping them with a broom!! Sorry I thought I had lots of slugs! That sounds terrible. If it is dry and you have no mulch use the d.e. they must be hiding some where to get away from the sun right?

It should be noted for the record that whatever the opposite of a biologist is... I am probably THAT. Rhizo, I definitely apply the slug magic per their directions... and I did actually go back to read the rest of the label to clarify it as bait after miss moose piqued my interest. I'm just amazed at the sheer numbers of the damned things... like a carpet of 'em around the seedlings. Too late to plant more seeds this season... but I'm thinking next year I might want to relocate! Hopefully, I'll be able to save the remaining seedlings given the wealth of suggestions received to date. Meanwhile, I'll continue the snail genocide to the best of my ability.

<I'm in Ridgefield, neighbor.>
Well howdy - that should be in your profile.
I can say that I have not seen a snail away from the beach in CT. But I can offer some other ideas that may help.

If you were to Google caes soil test You would end up here http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2836&q=378206

You can have as many soil tests as you need done. FREE... You can mail it or drop it off. You can also stop by the Experiment Station with a sample of this creature and speak to a Scientist who should be able to help. These folks are like CSI.

Or you can go to the Bethel Garden Fair http://www.bethelgardenfair.org/

Tho there is a fee to have UConn do the soil test I do believe. There is also an impressive "Demonstration Garden" at the Bethel UConn location and well worth the trip for you.