Slug/Snail eggs

[Paulines7]

When potting up some plants in the past few days, I have come across a lot of slug or snail eggs.  I tried squashing them but they are tiny and hard to crush.  Any suggestions please as to how I can get rid of them so they don't hatch out and add to the population?  I don't know how many eggs I have missed that were hiding amongst the roots.  It will be a nightmare if they all hatch out.  Meanwhile, I have been putting those I have found into a small ice cream carton with a close fitting lid.

[Paulines7]

[Tee Gee]

I have been putting those I have found into a small ice cream carton

You could try some vinegar (acetic acid) it might do the trick!

[brownthumb2]

This reminded me of years ago as new be gardener of complaining to my local garden centre  that the plants they sold me were full of vine weavel  eggs only to be told they were using a new kind of granule  plant food  Did I feel stupid or what lol

[Paulines7]

This reminded me of years ago as new be gardener of complaining to my local garden centre  that the plants they sold me were full of vine weavel  eggs only to be told they were using a new kind of granule  plant food  Did I feel stupid or what lol

I know what you mean Brownthumb2, some feeds do look like slug or snail eggs.  These are definitely not feed as they are in plants such as chillies, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes that I have grown and pricked out from seed.

You could try some vinegar (acetic acid) it might do the trick!

Do I use it neat, TeeGee and will it not kill the plants as well as any eggs? 

[Tee Gee]

Do I use it neat, TeeGee and will it not kill the plants as well as any eggs? 

Neat! but I didn't mean around your plants I meant some in the the carton you put the eggs in!

I have been putting those I have found into a small ice cream carton with a close fitting lid.

[Paulines7]

The reason I put them in an ice cream carton, TeeGee, is so I can see what they are when they hatch and then dispose of them.  I noticed that there are two tiny snails in amongst the eggs and compost now, so I think that is what I am dealing with.  When they all hatch I will feed them to the chickens.  They like snails but won't touch slugs.

It is those that I did not find that are still remaining in the roots of the potted up plants that I was concerned about.  Maybe i will need to get some organic slug pellets to scatter around for when they hatch or tempt them with a trap full of beer!  If pellets, they definitely need to be animal friendly as I have hedgehogs in my garden.   

[Vinlander]

Snail eggs are a big business as a caviar substitute - I'm not sure about slug eggs - but fish (and probably everything else in there) love them, though I think they prefer ants eggs.

Cheers.

[Paulines7]

Lol Vinlander.    I came across that on line earlier.  I don't think I could eat them.  I tried snails in a French Restaurant many years ago but I didn't like them. 

[Vinlander]

Lol Vinlander.    I came across that on line earlier.  I don't think I could eat them.  I tried snails in a French Restaurant many years ago but I didn't like them. 

There are two good reasons to eat snails:   a) starvation and b)revenge - apart from that I can take them or leave them - especially at silly prices. They are only as good as the sauce on them and they add very little to it apart from protein and minerals.

Many, many years ago there was a news story that French police had smashed a ring that sold chicken lung in old snail shells as snails. I'm pretty sure none of their customers complained - though that idea sent a second shiver of disgust through the whole country.

I've encountered bits of chicken lung in the nooks and crannies of roast chicken and it's pretty good - I'd probably prefer it to snails if the garlic butter sauce was equally good.

Cheers