Rains at the end of January were just what the snails were waiting for. The cooler soil temperature after the rains brought them out of hibernation, and with it came the urge to reproduce. The seasons are changing and snails are already active, while walking in the orchards of the Theewaterskloof farm early one morning, I saw many snails busy mating and laying eggs.

Since it’s harvest time, there are lots of fruit on the ground, either discarded by workers or shaken off by a tractor driving past. The snails seem to know that there will be food aplenty when the eggs hatch in two to three weeks’ time.

Now is a good time to take a walk in your orchards. Not only is there no better way to start your day, you also get the opportunity to see what is happening in nature and on your farm.

It is also important to understand how critical it is to eliminate the new snail population. You can do so by putting out snail pellets as soon as an orchard has been completely harvested. SlugPro, from Orchard Agrikem, is your friend when it comes to this. Contact us on 071 485 2550 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. together, we can solve your snail problem.