An interesting idea is to create a so-called ‘sacrificial bed’ for all slugs and snails to enjoy.
If you plant a bed and fill it with the plants they like most, then most of them will gladly stay there and leave the other plants in peace.
Personally, I consider this to be one of the cleverest methods of slug control.
The sacrificial bed distracts the slugs.
In the sacrificial bed, snail live traps can be set up, to collect and relocate the snails easily.
If there are certain gates through which slugs and snails enter the garden, the bed could be placed there so that they’re caught before they reach the vegetable garden.
The danger, however, is that this could attract even more slugs and snails.
So, you must make sure that a sacrificial bed really does contain enough space and plants so that the slugs and snails are satisfied and aren’t interested in migrating to other flower and vegetable beds.
This strategy works only if there’s enough space available.
The following lists show which plants would be perfect for a special slug bed.
Beans are slug magnets. They can be protected by slug collars.
Absolute slug magnets
green salad (lettuce, Iceberg/Crisphead, looseleave – red varieties are more resilient)
almost all types of cabbage (Brussels sprouts, Savoy cabbage, white cabbage, red cabbage, pointed cabbage, Chinese cabbage, etc.)
strawberries (not the leaves, but the fruits)
pepper plants
zucchini, courgettes (unfortunately, also the fruits)
pumpkin (especially the young plants, rarely the fruits)
12 thoughts on “Plants That Snails & Slugs Like to Eat | Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers”
Hi there. You have got spinach, peas and cucumber in the list of plants that slugs hate as well as the list of ones that they love. Which is it? I want to put slug resistant plants in a sluggy area of my garden, rather than kill them. Thanks, lisa.
Hi Lisa, thank you for your comment. Their seedlings are vulnerable. Normally, they surpass the critical stage after two weeks and develop a resistance to slugs. This also depends on the variety you use. Hence, to be safe you better don’t use them in sluggy gardens. Or you protect their seedlings with slug collars or slug fences until they grow stronger. May you and your plants be happy and healthy, Alex
I surround my raised beds and planters with copper mesh. Slugs will not crawl over copper. It works beautifully.
This is my last year at condo, so I don’t want to do something permanent, like copper. Also, I’d like to know of a quick effective chemical solution. The slugs have attracted carter snakes, and we are now a shedding station. I’ve counted 6,next to the building, not including a black racer. I am sure there are more than 6. And, I mean NEXT to the building. Management wastes money with sprays, that they won’t apply as frequently as the package directs, and which are worthless anyway. The slugs munch on the flowers, and, I assume, the snakes munch on the slugs, although, from what I’ve seen, the snakes are either well fed or don’t like them, as I’ve watched them pass them.
I’ve tried sand, with little effect. I spray with Dawn, which works until there are several days of rain. And, now that there are so many snakes, I’m beyond natural, time intensive remedies.
Also, there are things I can’t control, like using mulch, and things I can’t do, like copper.
I just learned that fireflies need slugs. Eww, sorry. The back of my yard has several large trees so not a lot of sun. I leave the leaves and fallen branches in that area undisturbed. The leaves keep the soil moist. I don’t go back there often so nature space. I want to help the firefly population. So i guess I will be making a slug garden. Again eww. Is that right? Other than hosta which seems to be their vavorite thing to devoure in my actual flower beds. What other things can I plant and do to support the firefly? Also should I just rehome the sluggs from my flower beds? I wont use poison but if I could keep them back there somehow that would be amazing. Or are they going to just multiply and take over everything? Thanks
Hello Jackie, thank you for your comment and for your aspiration to help fireflies. If you support slugs and snails in some parts of your garden it will be a good start. Don’t worry there are more animals out there that will happily eat them. They will not multiply and take over: natural enemies of slugs and snails. Please keep in mind that fireflies are sensitive to light smog. You need to reduce it to a minimum. I wish you very good luck! Alex
Hey, Alex! I am a snail owner who loves to travel. Are there any very small plants that snails like to eat that I could put in my terrarium so the snails have a food source for at least a week? Also, is there any way I can keep my terrarium humid enough for them that whole time? Thanks!
Hello, thank you for your question. You could try one of the above-mentioned plants. I guess it depends on the snail species you are feeding. Maybe you could try to run a test while you are still at home. Then you see what works well and find a solution for the humidity, too. May your snails be happy, and you be able to enjoy your freedom. Kind regards, Alex
Hi there. You have got spinach, peas and cucumber in the list of plants that slugs hate as well as the list of ones that they love. Which is it? I want to put slug resistant plants in a sluggy area of my garden, rather than kill them. Thanks, lisa.
Hi Lisa,
thank you for your comment. Their seedlings are vulnerable. Normally, they surpass the critical stage after two weeks and develop a resistance to slugs. This also depends on the variety you use. Hence, to be safe you better don’t use them in sluggy gardens. Or you protect their seedlings with slug collars or slug fences until they grow stronger.
May you and your plants be happy and healthy,
Alex
I surround my raised beds and planters with copper mesh. Slugs will not crawl over copper. It works beautifully.
Hello,I would like to know what the snails that are common in Singapore eats as I have 4 of them as my pets.
Hello,
you may find an answer here: What do snails like to eat?
Good luck,
Alex
This is my last year at condo, so I don’t want to do something permanent, like copper. Also, I’d like to know of a quick effective chemical solution. The slugs have attracted carter snakes, and we are now a shedding station. I’ve counted 6,next to the building, not including a black racer. I am sure there are more than 6. And, I mean NEXT to the building. Management wastes money with sprays, that they won’t apply as frequently as the package directs, and which are worthless anyway. The slugs munch on the flowers, and, I assume, the snakes munch on the slugs, although, from what I’ve seen, the snakes are either well fed or don’t like them, as I’ve watched them pass them.
I’ve tried sand, with little effect. I spray with Dawn, which works until there are several days of rain. And, now that there are so many snakes, I’m beyond natural, time intensive remedies.
Also, there are things I can’t control, like using mulch, and things I can’t do, like copper.
Hi
excellent work ! Do you have a list of aster snail resistant ? Thank you.
Hi Hervé, thank you for your question.
Most asters are not resistant.
But I don’t have a list for you.
Hopefully, someone else can help.
Here you can find some snail-resistant flowers.
Good luck with your garden!
Alex
I just learned that fireflies need slugs. Eww, sorry. The back of my yard has several large trees so not a lot of sun. I leave the leaves and fallen branches in that area undisturbed. The leaves keep the soil moist. I don’t go back there often so nature space. I want to help the firefly population. So i guess I will be making a slug garden. Again eww. Is that right? Other than hosta which seems to be their vavorite thing to devoure in my actual flower beds. What other things can I plant and do to support the firefly? Also should I just rehome the sluggs from my flower beds? I wont use poison but if I could keep them back there somehow that would be amazing. Or are they going to just multiply and take over everything? Thanks
Hello Jackie,
thank you for your comment and for your aspiration to help fireflies. If you support slugs and snails in some parts of your garden it will be a good start. Don’t worry there are more animals out there that will happily eat them. They will not multiply and take over: natural enemies of slugs and snails.
Please keep in mind that fireflies are sensitive to light smog. You need to reduce it to a minimum.
I wish you very good luck!
Alex
Hey, Alex! I am a snail owner who loves to travel. Are there any very small plants that snails like to eat that I could put in my terrarium so the snails have a food source for at least a week? Also, is there any way I can keep my terrarium humid enough for them that whole time? Thanks!
Hello,
thank you for your question.
You could try one of the above-mentioned plants.
I guess it depends on the snail species you are feeding.
Maybe you could try to run a test while you are still at home.
Then you see what works well and find a solution for the humidity, too.
May your snails be happy, and you be able to enjoy your freedom.
Kind regards,
Alex