Do slugs and snails eat pansy and violas?

newbie77

I have serious snail/slug problem in garden. Thinking about what to plant as winter bedding... do they eat violas and pansies?

I really dont feel like doing a pilling, watching or trap etc during winter, so need something that will survive. What about cyclamens? do the bedding ones survive in garden bed over winter?

Fairygirl

Yes to the snails/slugs.
Only the hardy cyclamen will manage winters. Maybe in a very protected town garden or something, in the south, the others would manage, but it's doubtful.

B3

Bellis seems to get nibbled  a bit but not so much as the pansies. 

Fire

My pansies are decimated. Cyclamen often too.

Eustace

In my garden, nothing is out of reach of the slugs and snails They are up there 6ft high on sunflowers and even on hibiscus.

newbie77

oh dear! In my garden too they have started eating hydrangea and magnolias!

Fairygirl

Just how it is 

They don't eat cyclamen here. Too busy eating any leftover bits of bird food on the steps or the  ground birdfeeder. 

Nanny Beach

They've never eaten pansies or violas in my garden,yet am finding loads in the mornings now

Buttercupdays

@newbie77

You can grow your pansies and violas in pots and hanging baskets instead, but make sure there are no slugs or snails hiding under the rims or underneath the pots and raise them off the ground on bits of wood or bricks to make access harder. If they do manage to get in seek them out and then put the bricks in a tray of water with the pot on top as they can't swim

Then whether your flowers remain looking good is up to the weather, frosts and heavy rain can soon make them look tatty and miserable. You may get away with it in London. Every year up here I see them and am tempted and have to remind myself that I would be wasting my money

Fairygirl

I'm the same @Buttercupdays. I created a shelf near my back door a few years ago, to put a few pots on - especially for winter into early spring. I had some nice dark red-dish pansies to go with the other plants and bulbs. They stayed quite healthy until they just didn't cope any longer. They can be short lived anyway. 

newbie77

Thanks for your replies. I bought some from reduced section of store and have put in pots and leftover in a border. Fingers crossed!