Mythbusters: slugs v marigolds

[magz.mccarthy]

Aaargh! I put 6 fairly big marigold seedlings in the greenhouse last Sunday. They were around 4 inches high with lots of leaves. And slugs have eaten them to the ground! Gutted! I thought they were supposed to repel slugs? I have now put more in surrounded by a deadly belt of slug pellets to see if they fair any better.

So in conclusion I'd have to say that Marigolds probably don't protect other plants from slugs as they can't even protect themselves! As a companion plant they must be a sacrifice!

Fingers crossed!
Margaret

[davefromthechipie]

slugs love marigold we plant them so they eat them instead of the veg

[FionaH]

Slugs love marigolds. The idea is they eat the marigolds instead of your crops

[magz.mccarthy]

Darn, i totally got my wires crossed on that one.

[Oleander]

The smell of the marigolds keeps the aphids away - maybe slugs have no noses?

[FionaH]

The smell of the marigolds keeps the aphids away - maybe slugs have no noses?

They have no noses or anything else once I am done with em

[Demeter]

Yep, let your marigolds get as big as possible before planting out, gives them a fair crack of the whip...

[Matt.]

If you've got slugs in the greenhouse I'd spend a decent amount of time hunting them down. Thats the last place you want slugs given the likely number of young plants.

[magz.mccarthy]

alas the greenhouse is more like a blue peter childrens project. it was put together by the previous plot owner and is really a collection of old doors nailed together with occasional clear plastic patches for light to get in. It's more like a wildlife shelter really, so the only benefit of being inside is that it's slightly warmer. There were a number of toads hopping around in there on sunday. It's got real character though so it's a fixture worth holding onto.

[womble]

Don't take the toads out! They'll eat the slugs.

Just in case

[terrier]

The smell of the marigolds keeps the aphids away - maybe slugs have no noses?

My slugs got no nose!

How does he smell?

TERRIBLE!!!

Yeah! I hate the old jokes as well

A seed company last year was giving a pack of French Marigold seed away with Tamina tomato seed "to keep the tomato plants pest free".

[nilling]

Is there any difference between French and African marigolds, in respect to their attractivess to slugs?