I am an Australian who's been growing CP for over 10 years now and is an
active member of our local CP society the VCPS (Victorian Carnivorous Plant
Society --- Look out for our web page coming soon).
I have had many discussions with members over the years regarding this
problem of snails (and slugs!). To date I can tell you of no CP which
controls these pests in any way.
I have problems in Summer with Leopard slugs feeding on the nectar on
several of my upright Sarracenias in my cold house. Their weight is often
enough to pull the leaves down and sadly these leaves don't usually stand up
again without some sort of assistance. It's disheartening to walk into the
cold house to find all my beautiful S. minor f. Okeefenokee Giant leaves
lying flat. I have seen these slugs here grow to about 5=BD inches long.
They are carnivores and do not damage plants in any other way...in fact they
help clean up things like squashed snails etc. I have no wish to kill them.
Any ideas as to how I can protect the particular plants that succumb to
these critters? I heard of something called sharp sand a few years ago but
never found the stuff.
On the positive side I can recommend the use of snails as a growth
supplement for all forms of Sarracenia purpurea. The idea belongs to Mr
Gordon Ohlenrott, VCPS Secretary, and it works! It necessitates catching
the snails, giving them a light crush, and dropping them into the leaves. I
do not recommend using this method for other Sarracenia species as there is
often a bad smell, the leaves usually rot, and the shells tend to clog up
the pitchers. Not so with S. purpurea - try it! I suspect, though I haven=
=92t
tried it yet, that this would work with many Nepenthes.
Rob Brisler
Diamond Creek
Victoria Australia