Using garlic plants to ward off slugs and snails

I have lots of slugs and snails that seem to particularly like carrots and green beans in spring, though they also make direct seeding of most other things hard once summer rolls around. This year I noticed that they avoided some turnip rooted chervil seedlings (carrot relative) that were interspersed with garlic plants (grown close together for green garlic) while eating every single one of the seedlings in another bed. So I'm thinking I might try placing a ring of garlic plants around the periphery of some beds and then planting sensitive plants into the middle. Anyone ever tried this? Does it work? Thanks!

Jeff Lubell wrote:I have lots of slugs and snails that seem to particularly like carrots and green beans in spring, though they also make direct seeding of most other things hard once summer rolls around. This year I noticed that they avoided some turnip rooted chervil seedlings (carrot relative) that were interspersed with garlic plants (grown close together for green garlic) while eating every single one of the seedlings in another bed. So I'm thinking I might try placing a ring of garlic plants around the periphery of some beds and then planting sensitive plants into the middle. Anyone ever tried this? Does it work? Thanks!

I can pretty much guarantee you it won't work. The slugs where I am eat everything including garlic they just tend to eat it last.

The snails in my garden eat garlic plants. They are particularly fond of leek plants. So if I were feeling clever, I could use leeks to attract snails to make smashing easier...

I was weeding my shallot/garlic and spinach companion plants the other day and ended up touching a slug when I didn't expect it. I don't think it would work for me but it might be worth a try for you since your slugs seem to be acting different.

Creation of snake and lizard habitats along with heavy mulching with coffee grounds, has completely eliminated slugs for me.

I think garlic can most effectively ward off snails in this manner: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Escargots-Bourguignonne-Snails-in-Garlic-Herb-Butter

we have a lot of white cedar around here i boil the leaves for a half hour strain the liquid thru a old t shirt and pour it around your plants every couple of weeks. they hate cedar. coffee grounds also work good and fertilize also.