- Author: Patricia Brantley
I admit it. I'm a hacker. If there is something that I think can be made to be used in an easier way or a cheaper way, I'm in. I've hacked my t.v. remote so that the DVR button that used to jump 5 minutes ahead at a time now just goes forward 30 seconds, the time of an average commercial. I've hacked my spray jet mop so that I can use my own floor cleaner at pennies on the dollar so I'm not paying $5 a bottle. There is nothing illegal about my hacks. In fact, they are quite fun and make me feel quite rogue. So for my next series of blogs I'll be writing my garden hacks. All tried by my own experimentation and testing.
My first hack started out of the necessity to deter a persistent snail from continuing to munch on my lovely little Abutilon I keep in a large terra cotta pot, on a deck, off the ground. I at first didn't think it was a snail. Even sent pictures in to ask “What do you think is doing this?”
I thought it was a leaf miner, or a disease, or a flowering maple eating feral cat. But, one night after reviewing our video camera footage from that area of the house, I found it to be a snail. While fast-forwarding through the video one morning (I was actually looking for a skunk) I watched as this little shell crept out from underneath the deck, went STRAIGHT across the deck, up the side of the large terra cotta pot, ate his fill and then retraced his slimy “footprint” EXACTLY back under the deck right before sun up! Aargh!
Knowing that they sell those copper strips to put around plants instead of chemicals. I was eager to give that a try…until I saw how much 10 feet cost in the garden center! The big box store wanted $10 for 15 feet, the smaller hardware stores waned more. What to do…what to do? Then I remembered copper pipes from my irrigation class out at the college. What do you use to hold those to the underside or in the walls of your house? Copper strapping! Bingo! 10 feet, $4.97 at this store. And works like a dream.
Snip, with tin snips, or just bend a section back and forth and back and forth until it wears out and breaks (all though that takes a while). Wrap it around the base of your plant. I made a circle around the base of my young tree about 3 inches in diameter and about 1” away from the trunk. You could be really technical and solder or bolt it together through the holes but there really is no need.
I'm happy to report, that sinister little devil snail has left it alone and my maple is now recuperating nicely. Score one for the rogue garden warrior!