Slugs hate this gorgeous fairytale plant that instantly brightens dull borders – it’s perfect if you’re sick of slugs ravaging your garden
It's an ideal choice for slug-prone gardens
If slugs ravaging your garden is something that you begrudgingly accept, rather than continue to combat, it’s probably worth considering what you are planting - as some flowers are less tasty to slugs than others.
Every gardener will want to know ways to get rid of slugs naturally. These slimy pests can decimate plants and veg patches, leaving you with little to show for your hard work. But did you know that some plants naturally repel slugs?
Slugs dislike snapdragons' tough exterior, which makes them difficult to chew, making it a high-impact, colourful flower that you don't have to worry about being munched by slugs.
Why don't slugs like snapdragons?
If you’ve been toying with the thought of growing snapdragons, then isn’t the fact slug hate them a deciding factor? Or do you prefer the fact that snapdragons are one of the best plants for hay fever, or simply that they look like a plant straight from a fairy tale? Either way, snapdragons being naturally repellent to slugs is the icing on the cake.
‘Planting snapdragons does not actively repel or stop slugs, but they do not like to eat snapdragons. This is because mature snapdragon plants have a tough, fibrous texture that makes them harder to chew,’ says Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture.
‘They also hold less water than other plants, so they do not offer as much hydration or have as much nutritional value to a slug. The plants do contain chemical compounds that can be unappealing or mildly toxic to slugs, but they are likely to only avoid the snapdragons while still eating other plants.’
If you're fed up with slugs eating your flowers, snapdragons are a stunning alternative you can choose instead that slugs will tend to avoid. While you won’t get rid of them completely, or stop them from attacking other plants, you can still achieve a beautiful floral display without worrying about it being destroyed.
‘I’d recommend them as part of a slug-resistant planting scheme rather than selling them as a natural slug repellent. If you have a garden where slugs repeatedly destroy bedding plants, choosing flowers they’re less interested in is more effective than spending the season trying to create barriers around vulnerable plants,’ says Dr Russell Sharp, founder of Eutrema.
‘Snapdragons are particularly useful because you’re not compromising on the look of the border. They flower for a long period, give you plenty of height and colour, and you’re choosing something that has a better chance of reaching maturity without being shredded overnight. I wouldn’t expect a row of snapdragons to create an invisible barrier that slugs refuse to cross, though. They can still move straight past them to something tastier. The real advantage is that you’re giving slugs fewer plants worth stopping for in the first place.
Where to buy snapdragons
- For rich red blooms: Antirrhinum majus 'Admiral Crimson', £4.49, Crocus
- For bold orange blooms: Antirrhinum majus 'Potomac Dark Orange' F1 - Seeds, £4.49, Thompson & Morgan
- For soft pink blooms: Antirrhinum majus 'Appleblossom', £3.29, Crocus
Snapdragons are beautiful, romantic blooms, and their slug-repellent nature makes the decison to include them in your borders even easier.
