There are some plants that slugs just love to eat and planting them can be a party call to all the slugs in the neighbourhood to gather! It is useful to know which plants are more attractive to slugs before you buy them so you can build in some slug control methods to try and protect your plants.
Slugs are active all year round but they become a bigger problem as the weather starts to warm up while the ground can still be damp so they become most active from March onwards. This coincides with the time when new herbaceous growth and young seedlings start to appear.
Slugs love to find a good herbaceous perennial to get their teeth into and the fact that these plants return year after year means that it’s a regular decimation party stop for the slug population. signs of slug damage can be irregular shaped holes in leaves and that famous silvery slime trail.
They are particularly fond of:
- Hostas
- Dahlias
- Delphiniums
- Lupins
- Sweet Peas
- Gerberas
- Heucheras
- Zinnias
- Chrysanthemums
- Marigolds
If you like bedding plants, slugs also like to munch on petunias and pansies.
Your veg patch is not a safe place either and the slug party can often move there so the veg which will attract them most are:
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Peas
- Spinach
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Courgette
- Dwarf Bean
- Runner Bean
This may read like a depressing list but there are lots of plants which slugs do not like and will actively avoid eating and we’ll look at them in another post.
Which plants in your garden are most liked and devoured by slugs? Do let me know in the comments or join the #slugweek chat on The Pink Wheelbarrow’s Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page this week!
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