Gardeners and horticulturalists are becoming increasingly prepared to employ the latest hi-tech methods of stopping slugs & snails eating their way through valuable plants. Probably the most innovative method to surface recently is SnailAway; described as a "totally effective solution" it is in fact a miniature electric fence.

Deterring gastropods (the Latin name for our slimy garden guests is derived from gastros meaning stomach, and podos meaning foot) with electric fences may seem a little excessive to some, but not Ron Turvey, the inventor of SnailAway. Discovering by chance that a low voltage electric shock, such as that produced by a small household battery repelled slugs and snails, he set about developing a product for other gardeners to use. Now available to buy online, this product is as elegant in appearance as it is simple in concept.

The GBP 7.99 product is reliable and safe for children, pets and also the environment. For the eco-sensitive gardener, being able to eliminate damage caused by slugs and snails in an environmentally friendly manner is most welcome. SnailAway also manages to out-perform most other slug and snail control methods with the flexible manner in which it may be used in other areas of the garden. Large pots, troughs, raised beds, greenhouse planting tables and even trees can be protected. The product is also capable of protecting large planting areas, such as the plant nurseries at the Eden Project, where it was installed in 2004.

For the technically minded, SnailAway operates by having two narrow metallic strips which are connected to a battery. When a slug or snail comes into contact with the tape it creates a short-circuit and receives an electric shock. He or she (slugs and snails are hermaphrodites) recoils and goes away. On the SnailAway website you can view video close-ups of snails getting a shock whilst attempting to cross the SnailAway, surely essential viewing for any gardener on a rainy afternoon.

However strange it seems, using electric fences to control snails is not new, French snail farmers have for many years been using them around their snail pits to stop their livestock literally crawling away.

In case you haven't already seen the evidence in your garden, this year experts predict a massive surge in the slug population. Whether you stay with your usual method or are considering the latest hi-tech approach now is the time act. You can buy SnailAway online at www.snailaway.com

NOTE: An extended version of this release, press-ready images and additional information, is available in the on-line press pack at: http://www.snailaway.com/press

Company information:

Beron was formed in 2003 to manufacture and distribute SnailAway.

Source: Beron

Ron Turvey, Beron, 10 Stanmore Crescent, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 2RJ, United Kingdom, Tel. +44-(0)1582-653199, http://www.snailaway.com/press, Email: press@snailaway.com