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I usually grow red lettuces like lollo rossa as I have found the slugs don't like them. I grew red Brussels last year and they were also relatively unscathed. Has anyone noticed this with other red vegetables?

Quote from: plotstoeat on April 10, 2015, 13:21:22
I usually grow red lettuces like lollo rossa as I have found the slugs don't like them. I grew red Brussels last year and they were also relatively unscathed. Has anyone noticed this with other red vegetables?

In short - yes!   

Yes, slugs don't appear to like red.  The red skinned main-crop potato variety Desiree is generally slug free.

Quote from: Flighty on April 10, 2015, 16:18:36
Yes, slugs don't appear to like red.  The red skinned main-crop potato variety Desiree is generally slug free.

How can they tell? I mean, it's dark down there

Quote from: alkanet on April 10, 2015, 19:57:05

Quote from: Flighty on April 10, 2015, 16:18:36
Yes, slugs don't appear to like red.  The red skinned main-crop potato variety Desiree is generally slug free.

How can they tell? I mean, it's dark down there

I guess the taste is the thing. They don't like the taste of anthocyanins very much, by the sounds of things.

Not only slugs. I have found pigeons don't like red plants either.

The slugs were happy enough to eat Desiree when I grow them one year.

I've had Red Duke of York absolutely riddled with holes, to the point where the crop was unusable, and purple kale is hammered by pigeons without discrimination.

A split verdict then. I must say I have had some slug damage on Desiree in the past. So no definite conclusion?

Can't really say yes or no to either way..some red'ens get damaged and other not..but it is same with green ones here too...

I'm not sure I've generally noticed much of a difference, though I have thought in the past red lettuce are less bothered by slugs. Will try and take more notice. I didn't much like red sprouts so I've only grown them the once. Graffiti cauliflower does get eaten by slugs and snails but whether they prefer the regular sorts more - perhaps a trial ...

As said, red spuds are mean't to be slug free but I have noticed them being nibbled for the past two years, nothing major but the slugs (spit) are getting greedy.     

I grow Forellenschluss lettuce - the slugs don't touch it once it's passed the first few leaves. It's green with red speckles.

They definitely don't like peppery pungency - leaving mizuna and mustards alone.

lollo rosso tends towards bitterness like radicchio - I assume slugs aren't fans of earwax.

Experiments have shown slugs are less likely to eat potatoes that are higher in solanine.