Slugs and snails are the misery of many gardeners’ existences; they destroy many of your favorite plants by munching on tender young shoots and seedlings. However, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recently declared that slugs will no longer be considered pests but rather an essential component of the garden ecology.
Hostas, for instance, are pure slug magnets. Even if you use copper tape, grit, wheat bran, beer, and countless other magical repellents to attempt to keep the pests away, eventually those pesky little creatures will turn your priceless funkia leaves to lace.
I don’t believe I’ve ever participated in a Gardener’s Question Time without a slug-related question because slugs and snails have a reputation for causing damage.
However, there are many plants that they do not consume, so if they become a problem, the easy solution is to produce more things that are off their menu.
The choice of slug-proof plants is frequently a matter of common sense. It is less probable that leaves and stems will be used as slug food if they are felty, hairy, dusty, or harsh. Molluscs rarely destroy silver foliage plants like lavender, santolina, helichrysum, and teucrium.
It makes sense that these have leaves that are both scented and repulsive. Santolina ‘Lemon Fizz,’ a variety with golden leaves, provides a vibrant contrast to the plant’s typical silver foliage.
Shrubs won’t be discussed because they aren’t often slug and snail targets. They are not enticing to eat or climb over because of their woody stems.
Perennials
Keep the fragrant component in mind when choosing perennials. Typically, plants with oil-rich foliage are more resilient. For instance, consider herbaceous geraniums. Snails and slugs may conceal themselves among the leaves, but they do not consume them.
Even in the shaded areas that slugs and snails adore, the early flowering Geranium phaeum thrives, but they won’t eat its leaves or blooms.
Herbs
Slugs have no chance of harming marjoram, Origanum vulgare, or any of its variations. It frequently seeds profusely in light, dry soils, yet there is no doubting its usefulness as a wanderer in the border and as a culinary herb.
Early in the growing season, when the leaves are young and vibrant, and in late summer, when the plants are in bloom and the leaves become a mellow gold, the golden-leaved variety is very appealing.
Foxgloves
Since foxgloves are poisonous, even the most voracious pests like deer and rabbits avoid them. The wild foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, is a biennial plant, meaning that it grows one year, blooms, produces seeds, and then dies the next year.
Some foxgloves, like Digitalis ferruginea, are however transient perennials. With its tall spikes of densely packed coppery flowers, this is an even more appealing garden plant; you’ll adore it but slugs and snails will loathe it.
Euphorbias
The spurges, sometimes known as euphorbias, are included in this group. Gardeners should avoid bringing their skin in contact with the milky, irritating sap that is present on their stems and leaves. They are therefore pest-repellent as a result.
They are also slug-proof and, once more, deer and rabbit proof. The stunning plant Euphorbia characias, which is towering and edifice-like, will seed on sandy, well-drained soils. Plants can exist for many years and each season, new stems emerge from their woody bases.
This particular euphorbia is a perennial evergreen that resembles a shrub in many aspects. In late winter and early spring, the lime green “flowers” at the stem tips are breathtaking.
Penstemons
Penstemons and other evergreen plants with woody stems have some similarities. But since slugs and snails are rumored to eat them in some gardens, I’m not going to suggest these as slug-proof.
However, I will suggest evergreen hellebores like Helleborus argutifolius and Helleborus x ericsmithii. These feature hardy flowers that are held in huge clusters above the foliage and hardy foliage. These appear to be unpleasant to molluscs and are transported safely.
Additionally, they thrive in the shade, so they will brave the hiding places of our slick adversaries.
Pulmonarias
In this case, too, pulmonarias, the lungworts withstand attack but the hostas are easily eaten. The advantages of pulmonarias include early blooming and nicely patterned leaves that are occasionally speckled or covered with silver. As the season goes on, the leaf can start to appear a little ragged, but it rarely looks as bad in the garden as a hosta that has been attacked by slugs.
Seedums
Sedums are vital for late summer color and their powerful, bold plant shapes in sunny areas of the garden. The most popular and well-known sedum varieties are Sedum spectabile and its cultivars.
The fleshy growth buds that are grouped on the soil in the early spring may occasionally be nibbled at by slugs, but they don’t seem to cause too much harm as the stems develop. If there is damage, cover the plant’s crown with coarse grit so that slugs won’t want to cross it and the plant will benefit from the drier soil.
In the majority of gardens, the stalks and faded flowerheads that become dark brown throughout the winter still seem lovely. In others, they appear to fall over as the stems lose their support. Late winter presents a special issue with this.
Reduce the stems by a third to a half in late April to avoid this. Then they will branch, but they will get shorter and stay upright. Despite the smaller flowerheads, the overall impression ought to be more appealing.
Aquilegia
The aquilegia, often known as columbine, is one of our favorite cottage garden plants and a fantastic slug-proof subject. There are numerous varieties, and they do have a propensity to hybridize and spread by seed; all of which adds to their allure.
Some of the most showy types are those with bigger outer petals and lengthy spurs; keep an eye out for the “State” series. Aquilegias make excellent “drifters,” or plants you can wedge between other perennials and shrubs to give the planter a bit of height thanks to their long flower stems and nodding blooms.
Agastache
As I previously stated, anything with fragrant leaf is a wonderful option for a slug-resistant plant. The enormous hyssop, Agastache foeniculum, is gaining popularity as a border perennial and for use in prairie designs with grasses.
There are several wonderful variants with flowers that are bigger and more impressive than the species. Their draw is their ability to draw bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; an added benefit is that they repel slugs and snails.
Knautia, eryngium, and nepeta are some other perennials that I’ve discovered to be largely mollusk resistant.
What is consuming my geranium plants?
Pelargonium xhortorum, a kind of geranium, is frequently planted in flowerbeds, pots, and hanging baskets. There are numerous flower and foliage color options. There is undoubtedly a hue to go with any landscape design, from the vibrant shade of “Orbit Violet” to the brilliant shade of “Orange Appeal,” which has a real orange blossom. On umbels that rise above the plant’s foliage, flowers are crammed closely together. Single, double, or semi-double flowers are all possible. The majority of cultivars were traditionally cultivated vegetatively from cuttings. Many different types are now accessible as seeds. Plants reach a height of 12 to 20 inches. Certain named series, including “Elite” and “Orbit,” are well known for their compact growth, which is ideal for containers for bedding displays.
Full sun is ideal for geranium growth. They prefer chilly root zones and moist, well-drained soils. Regular deadheading is required to ensure that flowers continue to bloom throughout the summer. As soon as the spent flowerheads start to degrade, remove them. This will force the plant to produce more blooms by preventing the formation of seeds. In addition to lowering the risk of illness, it also enhances plant attractiveness.
Geraniums are susceptible to disease and insects, just like all other plants. This season, bacterial leaf spot is one ailment that has been observed. The bacteria Xanthomonas pelargonii is responsible for this illness, which is more common in warm, rainy climates where plants are grown in close quarters. Small (pinhead size), rounded or irregular, brown, sunken patches on older or lower leaves are signs of disease. On a single leaf, there will be a lot of spots that will combine and kill a lot of the leaf, which will subsequently fall off. The lower leaves wilt and become yellow as the disease spreads throughout the plant. In extreme circumstances, the stem will have black stem cankers that will kill the stem’s upper half. As soon as bacterial leaf spot is found, diseased leaves should be removed. Plants with severe infections need to be taken out. Bacterial leaf spot has no known chemical treatment. This fall, be sure to get rid of any sick plants and plant materials.
Botrytis leaf spot or botrytis bloom blight is a fungal disease that affects geraniums frequently. Botrytis cinerea is the root cause. Botrytis prefers chilly, damp environments or places where plants receive regular irrigation. Zone-like, brown leaf lesions appear on leaves, followed by a grayish-brown mass of fungal spores. Lower leaves will decay and turn yellow. Infected flowers are another possibility. They display faded petals that droop and drop. Remove any damaged blooms and foliage. When the environment is favorable, fungicide applications can help lower the prevalence of this disease. For household use, chlorothalonil (Daconil 2787) is easily accessible and will aid in controlling botrytis. Other diseases that are known to affect geraniums include rust, root rots, stem rots, and leaf spots.
Geraniums are commonly attacked by aphids, cabbage loopers, and fall cankerworms. Slugs, scale, and the four-lined plant insect can also harm plants. Use the recommended insecticide to control the insect pest after properly identifying it.
One of the most common annual plants grown by gardeners nowadays is the geranium. Their season-long blooming and health can be ensured by careful selection, placement, and maintenance.