This is what happened to my favorite lemon plant while I was in Japan. My egg-shell defense system didn't work at all because the snails are teeny, tiny ones that can weave their way between the eggshells. I found that out during evening snail patrols that I resorted to over the course of several nights.
There were millions of um all over the ground. Wendell complained that the neighbors would think I was crazy if they saw me in the middle of the night, flashlight in one hand and chopsticks in the other picking up tiny snails. So one day a few weeks ago I finally relented and bought some snail-be-gone pellets. That did the trick. I haven't seen any snails since. I just hope the pellets are not harmful to Kona. I don't trust the label even though it says "Safe for Pets".
But look what's been happening lately! New leaves and branches are sprouting. I noticed growth spurts at the start of last spring too. How do the plants know that it's spring and it's time to grow? The weather's pretty much the same all the time here. I think it's so cool.
See. Remember when it was just a seedling? Click here if you need to refresh your memory. They were so cute.
This is what the snails did to all of my calamansi plants. But I have hope that they still might survive.
'Cause remember the plant that Damn Rabbit ravaged? I kept watering the remnant stick and look! Still going strong even though the snails got to the bottom of it too.
7 comments:
I learn a lot on your blog, didn't know there were that many or that kind of snails. I only see the big African escargot size ones.
I planted all kinds of veggies last year, string beans, chinese peas, manoa lettuce, hyotan. But being a city gal with no experience didn't realize that once they 'vegetate' they all die. So a lotta work for so little rewards, I gave up. It was cool picking fresh veggies for a meal but the taste was the same as the market. I planted won bok too and something ate it until it was nothing.
I stick to my flowers, roses, carnations and mums. BTW we have a short 3' lemon tree and that buggah without any watering just provides dozens of lemons throughout the year.
Ha ha ha I like the phrasing -the weather is pretty much same all the time here. And I was amazed that you could pick up snails with chopsticks, aren't they bit slimy?
Wow, you treat them so well!
Anon, I was shocked when I saw all the tiny snails. Maybe they were baby African snails. I shoulda took pictures. But they were tiny and it was dark, so might not've come out. So cool your vegetable garden. I so no more green thumb. I struggle with my lemon plants. I like one short lemon tree with plenty fruits just like yours. You so lucky.
Akemi, it was kinda easy picking up those snails, but I'm so obsessive, I had to pick up every single one of um.
Ahahahaha. I guess I do, Erick.
Did you learn to read kanji at Moiliili Community Center Japanese School back in the day? I went to Japanese school there but don't remember learning kanji. Just remember going after regular school and sitting in those little wooden house classrooms saying, "Sensei, konnichiwa. Minasan,konnichiwa"
You are the Plant Whisperer!
Al, I went to a Japanese school on the grounds of Palolo Higashi Hongwanji. We had classes in quonset huts.
Rand, I wish I was one plant whisperer!
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