Snails

• Snails are very fond of moist areas and feed off garden vegetables and composting organic material. The delicate leaves and vines of the cucumber plant are particularly attractive to them. A single snail can easily devour a large portion of a cucumber plant, and if there is a large infestation, it can decimate an entire crop of cucumbers. Young cucumber plants or seedlings are particularly susceptible to snail infestations, as they may not recover from an initial encounter.
  
  

Symptoms

• Snails can eat large portions of a cucumber leaf. If the majority of the leaf is gone, it is likely a result of either a snail or a slug. Leaves that have been eaten away by a snail will have a slight light brown edge along the eaten portion. Snails will also often leave behind a shiny trail on either the plant or the garden ground. In early infestations, there may be a long, oval-shaped hole in the leaf with slightly pointed ends. This is a sign of an early snail infestation.
  
  

Treatment

• Snails can be treated by using homemade snail traps. Dig a hole in the ground near your cucumber plants and fill it with a small jar of beer. The yeast of the beer will attract the snails, and as the snails try to drink the beer, they will drown. Another homemade option for treating snails is to create a barrier. Snails do not like copper or ash, so create a border around your cucumber plants with copper or wood ash. Last, you can purchase snail pellets from your local garden center. These pellets attract the snails, and as the snails ingest the pellets, they will die.
  
  

Prevention

• Snails are attracted to cooler, moist climates and areas. By mulching your cucumber plants, you can reduce the amount and frequency of your watering, reducing the likelihood of having dripping or standing water. Training your cucumber plants upward along vegetable cages, fences or trellises can also help prevent the creation of covered, moist areas that are particularly attractive to snails. Training up your cucumber plants will also reduce the number of leaves exposed to a snail infestation.