Natural Plants That Repel Snails and Slugs From Your Vegetable Garden

Snails and slugs can wreak havoc on a vegetable garden. The slow critters damage seedlings, decimate underground tubers, and gnaw away leaves and shoots of young plants.

Considering the hard work you put into your garden, it’s devastating to find your plants in disarray, thanks to these pests. Since it’s a vegetable garden, chemical herbicides may not be a viable option. 

Fortunately, you can grow several plants in your garden that will repel snails and slugs. Their intense natural scents and rough texture are some of the traits that keep them at bay. 

Here are the natural plants that can help keep snails and slugs from your vegetable garden.

1. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 

Lavender's strong scent repels snails and slugs
Lavender’s strong scent repels snails and slugs. Image: Canva/elizabethfoster
  • Other names: English Lavender
  • Family: Lamiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Apart from adding aesthetic value to your garden, its strong scent is a good deterrent for snails and slugs. 

Lavender has tall slender stems with spikes that can discourage the pests from invading your garden. It is easy to grow as it thrives in well-drained soils and full sunlight. Placing lavender plants at strategic points in the garden will create a strong and effective barrier against the pests.

Advantages of using Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) as a snail and slug repellent plant:

  • Strong fragrance: Its strong scent repels snails and slugs, protecting your desirable plants.
  • Aesthetic appeal: The beautiful purple flowers add aesthetic appeal to the garden.
  • Longevity: It’s a perennial plant, which means it can protect your plants for several seasons. 
  • Low Maintenance: It is easy to grow, and once established, it only requires frequent watering and full sunlight to thrive.

Disadvantages of using Lavender: 

  • Slow growth: Lavender takes time to grow, blooming in the first year and taking up to 3 years to mature. The plant is also slow to come out of dormancy in winter.
  • Water sensitivity: Lavender plants prefer well-drained soils and full sunlight. They may struggle in damp and shady areas and fail due to overwatering.

2. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

The perennial herb's intense fragrance will repel snails and slugs for many seasons
The perennial herb’s intense fragrance will repel snails and slugs for many seasons. Image: Canva/xterkx
  • Other names: Sea dew, Dew of the sea 
  • Family: Lamiaceae
  • Annual or perennial: Perennial
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Rosemary, another aromatic plant, is excellent at keeping them away. Its natural oils give off a strong scent that snails and slugs hate. 

The plant has woody stems and needle-like leaves that produce a strong, fragrant scent. The perennial herb thrives in well-drained soils and full sunlight, making it a good choice for vegetable gardens.

Advantages of using Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) as a snail and slug repellent:

  • Strong fragrance: Its intense fragrance easily repels snails and slugs.
  • Aesthetic appeal: The clustered blue-to-purple blooms add a beautiful appeal to your vegetable garden.
  • Longevity: The perennial herb can keep the pests away for several seasons.
  • Low Maintenance: Rosemary is relatively drought-resistant once established and only requires routine watering to thrive. 

Disadvantages of using Rosemary:

  • Space competition: Rosemary can grow quite large, potentially competing for space with the vegetables and hindering their growth.
  • Water sensitivity: It prefers well-drained soils and may struggle in gardens that require frequent watering. 

3. Garlic (Allium sativum)

Plant garlic in strategic points in your garden t o protect your vegetables
Plant garlic in strategic points in your garden t o protect your vegetables. Image: Canva/juliadementeva
  • Other names: Stinking rose
  • Family: Liliaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial (although it’s grown as an annual)

Growing garlic cloves in your vegetable garden can also effectively repel snails and slugs. The intense smell of garlic as it grows acts as a natural deterrent.

Garlic bulbs are easy to grow and will thrive in most soils, but they thrive best in well-drained sandy or loam soil.

Advantages of using garlic (Allium sativum) as a snail and slug repellant:

  • Natural repellent: Garlic contains compounds that give off a strong smell that repels snails and slugs. 
  • Extra plant benefits: The strong odor masks other scents, deterring other pests like aphids, beetles, and ants and potentially improving the health of the vegetable garden.
  • Low maintenance: Garlic is easy to grow and, once established, requires little maintenance, such as occasional watering. 

Disadvantages of using garlic:

  • Planting space: Garlic may take up considerable space, limiting the area where you can plant other vegetables.
  • Potential pests: Garlic may attract pests like bulb mites and thrips, counteracting its intended purpose.
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4. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

The strongly scented leaves and long stalks can deter snails and slugs from invading your garden
The strongly scented leaves and long stalks can deter snails and slugs from invading your garden. Image: Canva/mkrol
  • Other names: Sweet fennel, Bronze fennel, Florence fennel
  • Family: Apiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Fennel’s strong aroma and essential oils disrupt the pest’s sensory perception, discouraging their encroachment. Additionally, the plant’s tall stalks can act as a natural barrier when planted strategically around more susceptible vegetables.

The herbaceous perennial thrives best in well-drained soils and full sunlight. Once established, it becomes drought-resistant, making it an excellent garden repellent plant.

Advantages of using Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) as a snail and slug repellent:

  • Lasting repellent aroma: The fragrant leaves and long stalks can effectively repel snails and slugs.
  • Low maintenance: Once established, fennel becomes drought tolerant and requires only at least an inch of water per week.
  • Soil Health: Fennel can improve soil structure and aeration, promoting healthier conditions for surrounding plants. 

Disadvantages of using fennel:

  • Growth competition: The plant can grow up to 1.5m in height and may compete for space with other vegetables. 
  • Allelopathic properties: Fennel’s allelopathic properties can inhibit the growth of vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants. 

5. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Thyme is a strongly scented herb that can act as a natural deterrent
Thyme is a strongly scented herb that can act as a natural deterrent. Image: brooksidenursery
  • Other names: Common thyme, Garden thyme, Narrow-leaved thyme
  • Family: Lamiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Thyme’s strong scent is a natural repellent to unwanted garden visitors. Planting it around your vegetable garden will not only discourage snails and slugs but also attract beneficial insects that can help in pest control.

The hardy herb can grow well in most soils but thrives best in well-drained sandy or loamy soil and full sunlight. 

Advantages of using Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as a snail and slug repellent:

  • Natural repellent: Its natural strong scent can deter snails and slugs from approaching your vegetable garden.
  • Aesthetic appeal: Thyme produces pink to lavender flowers that add aesthetic appeal to the garden.
  • Low maintenance: It’s a drought-resistant herb that requires minimal care once established.
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Disadvantages of using Thyme:

  • Space Competition: Thyme plants take up considerable space that could use to grow other vegetables.
  • Nutrient competition: If not managed properly, the herb can compete with the vegetables for nutrients and water, hindering their growth. 

6. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Basil surrounding a young vegetable plant
Basil surrounding a young vegetable plant. Image: simplyseed
  • Other names: Purple basil, Sweet basil, Saint Joseph’s Worts
  • Family: Lamiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Annual and Perennial

Basil’s strong scent and essential oils are also effective in repelling slugs and snails. Planting the herb around your vegetables masks the odors that attract the pests, creating a natural barrier.

The herb thrives best in well-drained, loamy, or sandy soil with good aeration. It’s a popular herb in many gardens, making it an easy choice to keep the critters away. 

Advantages of using Basil (Ocimum basilicum) as a snail and slug repellent:

  • Natural repellent: Basil’s strong scent can deter snails and slugs as they are sensitive to powerful odors.
  • Quick growth: Basil will provide quick results as it’s a fast-growing herb, requiring about two to three months to reach maturity.
  • Companion plant benefits: Planting basil close to vegetables like tomatoes and peppers enhances their growth and flavor.

Disadvantages of using basil: 

  • High maintenance: Basil requires regular watering and pruning to maintain their repellent properties, which may be labor intensive. 
  • Pest attraction: The herb may attract pests like the Japanese beetle and aphids, leading to more garden carnage.

7. Marigold (Tagetes patula)

The fragrant flowers provide protection by helping mask vegetable scents
The fragrant flowers provide protection by helping mask vegetable scents. Image: Canva/raulrofoto
  • Other names: French marigold
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Marigolds are incredibly effective at repelling various garden pests, including snails and slugs. The bright flowers can help mask the scents of your vegetables, diverting pests away from more valuable crops.

It grows well in most soils but thrives best in well-drained loamy soil. 

Advantages of using marigold (Tagetes patula) as a snail and slug repellent:

  • Natural repellent: Marigolds produce a strong scent that deters snails and slugs.
  • Aesthetic appeal: Its showy gold-to-orange flowers add beauty and elegance to the landscape. The blooms also attract pollinators, improving the overall health of other desirable plants.
  • Easy to grow: Marigolds thrive in many soil types, making them a popular choice for many gardeners.

Disadvantages of using marigold:

  • Seasonal limitation: Marigolds are annuals which means they can’t provide long-term pest management.
  • Maintenance: They require frequent watering and deadheading adding to the maintenance tasks in the garden.

Place these plants strategically around your vegetables. They will create a natural and effective barrier to help you win the war against the invasive snails and slugs.