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Experiences with Slugs

Helix tosta

Slugs on young zucchini (courgette) plants
 
Report from Ms Haite-Voss, written by Jürgen Sigwart
 
In Ms Haite-Voss’s garden, the areas between the small leek and chard plants, and the tender shoots of peas, beans and potatoes were sprayed at the beginning of the season with Helix tosta 6D (1/2 teaspoon in 10 litres of water).
The ripening strawberries were also watered again with the homeopathic mixture. From then on, everything grew free of slugs.
A few weeks later, young zucchini were transplanted into an empty corner of the garden, which had so far not been treated with Helix tosta.
As soon as the first flowers appeared, they were immediately eaten away by slugs so that the plants were unable to set any fruit. The plants were then watered with Helix tosta 6D. After the treatment it rained and the slugs returned to continue feeding. After two further evening treatments, following which it did not rain straightaway, the slugs did not return – and they have not come back at all since then.
At the same time as the zucchini seedlings were planted, lettuce and kohlrabi were planted in an area that had already been treated with Helix tosta. Here, a further application of Helix tosta was given between the rows and so far there has been no slug damage.
 
Oberried, Germany, 2016

Helix tosta: Slugs on the Run
Although I've never really believed in it, I've been treating my plants for a few years with homeopathic remedies.
I never had much success with voles and slugs in my garden because they both thrive so well there among my plants. An apple tree, a lovely rose more than 60 years old, a kiwi, countless lettuce, chard, beans, lovage bushes and numerous vegetables have all fallen prey to the rodents and slugs.  
Finally I resorted to poison although I was sorry for the animals and I felt distaste for the plants because of all the poison in the soil. Then last year while looking for alternatives, I heard of "Arvicolinae (rodents)" and "Helix tosta" in one of your bulletins. I ordered the remedies but to start with there was little effect.
This year I began using "Helix tosta D6" and there too I've had good results. The biggest success was the attempt to protect my iceberg lettuce, which are located next to the "slug hole", a concrete trough in my allotment garden – no-one really knows what it's good for, but I use it to park the water barrels next to the terrace. It's always damp and it's a major breeding ground for slugs. Right next to that I put my trial veggie bed for lettuce this year. I took the risk of planting my surplus seedlings there. I then watered them with diluted Helix tosta, half a teaspoon in 10 litres of water. I deliberately left out two plants – and they were duly stripped bare. The others (around 20) are still alive and doing just fine. So from now on I'll be watering and re-watering my young plants with Helix tosta. And I'll carry on experimenting. Next in line are my cherry and apple trees.
Ishild Kröger, Cologne, 2013

Helix tosta : Snails / Odenwald, Germany: despite my basic trust in homeopathy as an animal healer, I initially had my doubts whether this would work. I sow my vegetables in winter on the windowsill. Later I move the seedlings to a cold frame – from then on, I always needed to spread slug pellets otherwise nothing survives. This year I tested Helix tosta as described in the book: 1st dose 10 ml in 10 liters of water; 2nd dose a week later, 5 ml in 10 liters water; 3rd dose another week later, 2.5 ml in 10 liters water. The results were amazing. After just one dose, there was not a single snail to be seen! The seedlings were untouched. Later I moved the plants to the field and even there they were undisturbed for quite some time. The snails ate a few plants but didn't return the next day. There was a problem when it rained constantly in the final few days. This seems to cause the protective effect to be lost more quickly. I'm now trying to test the plant groups once a week with a biotensor, to see whether they need another dose. I'll report back to you with my results. In the field, I have the impression – depending on plant type and weather – that the effect of the dose expires at different rates. In greenhouses, the remedy is ideal. Before, I'd already given up planting lettuce. Even in the greenhouse, everything got eaten up. This year, I started another trial out of curiosity. I treated the plants after planting as described. 19 out of 20 plants survived untouched, which I found very convincing. We live between Heidelberg and the Odenwald in Germany, in case the area is of interest to you. (JM)

Helix tosta 6D: Strawberries from an organic farm were sprayed with Helix tosta 6 (approx 500 liters / hectare) on a day recommended by the planting calendar. The slugs, which normally eat all the ripe fruit, withdrew into the heart of the plant and ate only a few of the inner fruit. It was striking that there were an increasing number of garden snails (with shells) in the area, but fewer slugs. About one week later, we did a second spraying with 800 liters / hectare on a day suitable for sowing fruit plants. This time we sprayed more into the heart of the plants. The effect was to reduce the areas that were bitten and there were even fewer slugs, and those that were left seemed lifeless. Helix tosta 6D: Plants were watered several times with the remedy (it didn't help just to spray). Rocket, which is normally very badly affected, was left alone by the snails. In parsley and marjoram, it didn't help. The effect of the remedy was noticeably reduced in strong rain, so that the treatment had to be repeated.

Helix tosta 6D: I have watered strawberries in particular with the remedy. By the next day, there were almost no more slugs to be seen, only a very few strawberries had been eaten. After several weeks, the watering was repeated as some snails had appeared, and afterwards they disappeared again.
A bed with lettuce and kohlrabi was watered with the remedy. Not a single snail was seen on the lettuce, but the kohlrabi was eaten down to the veins of the leaves. There was not a single snail to be seen, so it could have been mice that ate the kohlrabi, particularly as snails would almost certainly have attacked the neighboring lettuce too. Kohlrabi in other parts of the garden – for example, in the middle between two rows of tomatoes – did not show such damage.
The beans were also watered with Helix tosta, and here too there are no snails to be seen. Helix tosta is a complete success and I fully intend to use it again.

Helix pomatia 6C (unroasted snail, maybe worth a try ...)
I watered various young cabbage plants and knapweeds that were sprouting after having faded.
Result disappointing. In cabbages it even seemed to attract them.
Weather was changeable, occasional showers, but not very wet and not for very long, approx beginning of August.

Helix tosta 6D: Vegetable garden strongly plagued by slugs was watered several times and sprayed – so far, the snails have not returned.

Helix tosta 6D: Lettuce was sowed straight out in April, covered in sheeting and sprayed twice in one week with Helix tosta. There were slugs visible under the sheeting but without any significant damage caused. The lettuce harvest was good.

Helix tosta 6D: With Helix tosta 6D good results, hardly any problems with snails, but only until the hot period started. Thereafter I (unfortunately) always watered my beds in the evening, with the result that since then the snails were no longer put off by the Helix. Watering in the evening makes for ideal conditions to encourage the snails. Next year I'll try watering in the morning and then obviously with Helix tosta again.

Helix tosta 6D: Organically farmed vegetable beds (no chemical sprays or artificial fertilizers) were watered once with Helix tosta. In the next few days, the slugs gradually retreated and disappeared completely from the beds after 1-2 weeks. In the neighboring grass, too, there were virtually no more of them to be seen.

Helix tosta 6D: A few weeks ago, I purchased the snail remedy "Helix tosta", which I've used according to the instructions, watering with it once a week. Straight after the first watering, there were no more snails to be seen. I'd just like to say I'm very pleased with the remedy so far. (C.M.)

Helix tosta 6 D: Slugs in the vegetable garden
In recent years Ms L.'s vegetable garden was infested with slugs, which were almost impossible to control. This year she could see the first signs of slug damage as early as March. From this time she treated the plants approximately every three weeks with Helix tosta 6 D following the recommendation of Christiane Mautes, which had the effect of almost completely deterring the snails. For the rest of the year, Ms L. was glad to see that there were only minimal signs of slug damage.

Ms L. Gelsenkirchen, Germany 2013


Helix tosta – slugs
"Thanks to the Helix tosta I ordered from you, this year for the first time I've managed to get  the problem of slugs under control. First I thought that the retreat of these little animals was due to the hot weather. But now, after two weeks of frequent rain, I can confirm that the treatment has been a big success.

“I sprayed all the plant pots on the terrace with liquid Helix tosta 6 D, using approx. 10 ml of remedy in 500 ml of water in a spray bottle, which I briefly shook. There was some left over in the bottle and I used this after the next period of strong rain. There were no slugs to be seen in our pots!

“It's really great to have this option. Snails are god's creatures too, and they have a right to life, so I didn't want to kill them. So they just stayed away because they must find this stuff truly disgusting! Helix tosta is clearly preferable to slug pellets."

Ines B., Ellerhoop, Germany 2014


 

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