Snails like to attack our beds, but they don't like everything. They avoid some vegetables and can even protect other plants.
As soon as the first seedlings sprout, every gardener is filled with pride. At the same time, you get a queasy feeling because the tender young plants are susceptible to pests. Snails in the bed are often a major source of horror. Because they like to eat tender plants. It is primarily nudibranchs that devour the vegetation. We will now describe which vegetables snails do not eat.
contents
- Garlic against snails?
- Do snails eat tomatoes?
- Do snails like cucumbers?
- Do snails eat kohlrabi?
- Do snails like Swiss chard?
- Do snails eat celery?
- What other vegetables do snails not eat?
Garlic against snails?
The leek plant garlic (Allium sativum) is like the related onion (Allium cepa), resistant to snail damage. The intense smell scares off the slimy companions so much that sometimes even tasty neighboring plants are left alone. Garlic against snails is therefore extremely helpful.
Do snails eat tomatoes?
tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are occasionally eaten by snails, primarily nudibranchs. Young plants are particularly affected and fruits are also partially hollowed out by them. Creeping or bushy plants on the ground are more at risk because they are in close proximity to the snails. Larger, healthy plants are often avoided. The reason for this are small hairs on the green parts of the plant, the so-called trichomes. They release substances that are unpopular with various potential pests. In addition, a high solanine content in unripe fruits, which all nightshade plants (Solanaceae) have in common, protects against feeding. Many modern varieties produce fewer antibodies. The choice of variety also influences how often snails eat certain tomatoes.
Do snails like cucumbers?
Young Cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus) are of interest to snails, but older plants with well-fortified, prickly trichomes are rarely eaten. At the latest when juicy fruits have formed, large cucumber plants are also endangered again. Snails like to gnaw at the water-rich fruits. If a cucumber plant grows crawling and therefore lies on the ground over a large area, the risk of snail infestation is higher. It is therefore advisable to let the cucumber plants climb upwards.
Do snails eat kohlrabi?
Yes, eat snails Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes). If the tuber is nibbled on at an early stage, large holes appear. It is particularly problematic if the vegetation point - also known colloquially as the heart - is damaged. Then it may be that no kohlrabi tuber forms at all, only leaves grow. The kohlrabi therefore needs special protection from snail damage in the young plant stage. Snails even find the leaves appetizing, especially in young plants.
tip: In order to protect kohlrabi and other vegetables from snail damage, we can spread ours Plantura organic slug pellets at. You can find all the important information about this in our article on the subject Slug pellets.
Do snails like Swiss chard?
Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is avoided by snails. Not even the young plants are of interest.
Do snails eat celery?
celery plastered snails only as young plants. From a height of around 20 cm, the risk of snail damage on celery decreases.
What other vegetables do snails not eat?
Generally unpopular with snails are plants containing tannins and bitter substances or plants with essential oils. These include the following vegetables:
- artichokes (Cynara)
- chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum)
- endive (Cichorium endivia)
- peas (Pisum sativum) from a height of 20 cm
- Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella)
- fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
- Garden onion (Allium cepa)
- pumpkin (Cucurbita) from a height of 20 cm
- leek (Allium porrum)
- Radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum)
- rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum)
- asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
- spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
- And a few more
In addition, the small animals avoid a large number of flowers and herbs. You can read about which these are in our article snail-resistant plants read up.
It is good to know which vegetables are avoided by snails. However, there is hardly a gardener who wants to limit himself to plants that the small molluscs do not like. If snails do appear in the bed, you can read our article on the Fighting snails consult. However, do not forget that snails are beneficial insects. Mainly it is nudibranchs that attack our bed. You can find out how to keep these in check in the article on the topic Fighting and driving away nudibranchs in the garden.
