Renowned gardener Alan Titchmarsh has revealed the four plants you should grow to naturally repel slugs and snails from your garden.
Every year, it feels like I’m looking for new ways to get rid of slugs, and that’s because one thing slugs always seem to do is come back. Of course, you can use the copper scourer slug hack or beer traps to stop slugs eating your prize plants, but what if you could design your garden in a way that keeps slugs out from the start?
Talking on a recent episode of the Gardener’s World podcast, Alan recommended four plants slugs don’t like, stating ‘there are some plants they don’t seem to bother with at all.’I asked gardening experts for extra tips about how the following plants recommended by Alan Titchmarsh can keep your garden safe from slugs.
1. Geraniums
(Image credit: Future PLC/Jeremy Phillips)
‘Geraniums are brilliant for not being eaten,’ says Alan on the podcast. ‘One I’ve just discovered is Patricia (£12.99 at Crocus). It’s about knee height, it has magenta flowers and it blooms right the way through summer.’
You’ll want to know how to grow geraniums, as these beautiful, bright flowers are also natural slug repellents because of their fuzzy stems.
‘These plants have hairy stems and leaves which slugs aren’t a fan of – they find it hard to move across the hairy leaves of these beautiful bedding plants,’ explains Jamie Shipley, gardening expert & Managing Director of Hedges Direct.
Thompson & Morgan
Geranium ‘best Red’ F1 Hybrid
Sarah Raven
Geranium ‘dreamland’
Crocus
Geranium Patricia (‘brempat’)
2. Ferns
(Image credit: Future / Heather Young)
‘Ferns make an attractive, hassle-free addition to the garden, and it’s the thick and difficult-to-chew leaves of ferns which are enough to put off slugs,’ says Sian Napier, freelance gardener and spokesperson for Gabriel Ash.
Even better is that ferns are great low-maintenance plants and thrive in shaded areas, which is where you’re more likely to spot slugs and snails in your garden. For dry spots, Alan says to plant the fern Dryopteris (£9.99 at Crocus) works best.
‘Slugs are most attracted to luscious, soft and moisture-laden leaves with large surface areas for them to eat through. Therefore, any bedding plants with thick, tough and textured foliage are less likely to attract them,’ says Jamie.
Crocus
Dryopteris Filix-Mas
Sarah Raven
Matteuccia Struthiopteris
3. Alchemilla
(Image credit: Getty)
Alan says Alchemilla holds water ‘like mercury’ due to its downy leaves, which puts slugs and snails off them.
Alchemilla is an easy-going plant that is happy in both sun and partial shade. They’re also great filler plants for sparse flower beds, which, combined with their slug-repellent properties, makes them a great choice for your flower beds. Simply, slugs don’t like their shape or texture.
‘The hairy, textured leaves discourage slugs from eating this one, while the plant’s scalloped edges and water-retentive surface create a further deterrent,’ says Sian.
Crocus
Alchemilla Erythropoda
Gardening Express
Alchemilla Mollis – Lady’s Mantle
Sarah Raven
Achillea Millefolium ‘terracotta’
4. Fuchsias and Pestemons
(Image credit: Getty Images/ablokhin)
‘Surprisingly resilient, these colourful plants are rarely bothered by slugs and bring a delightful cascade of colour to pots or hanging baskets,’ says Sian.
Fuchsias and pestemons are two of the best bedding plants if you want to fill your garden with vibrant blooms. Plus, being unattractive to slugs means these blooms can reach their full flowering potential without fear of being chomped on. To slugs, fuschias and pestemons just aren’t as tasty as other flowers, so slugs will typically avoid them.
‘They’re rather like an elegant foxglove,’ says Alan. ‘There must be something in them that slugs and snails tend not to like.’
Thompson & Morgan
Fuchsia Giant-Flowered Collection
Crocus
Fuchsia ‘dark Eyes’
B&Q
Hardy Fuchsia Collection 12 X Plug Plants
‘Ferns, geraniums, lady’s mantle, pestemons, and Fuchsias will never give you cause for complaint or a slug or snail a hearty meal,’ Alan concluded.
These four plants are unattractive to slugs, which means they are more likely to avoid them, and therefore, there will be fewer slugs in your garden.
I cannot guarantee your garden will be rid of slugs completely, and you may still experience issues; however, these hardy plants are the best choices if you’re looking for plants slugs hate.