[starry]

The snails and probably the slugs as well have munched the lot despite putting slug pellets down darn things   

[arugula]

I have had some but not all in the polytunnel munched and I put the culprits down as mice but now some of the outdoor ones have gone too. I don't think its a normal every year occurrence, so maybe only in bad slug years and maybe it is one of those. I remember one year in our garden two houses ago down south, so going back a while, we had an outbreak of huge yellow and pink slugs and the marigolds were toast. 

[sunshineband]

If these are french/african marigolds then they are pretty much slugs' favoutire starters 

[starry]

thats why I have been put off them before, but they are so pretty and I thought this year I would be able to protect them but nothing worked.

[arugula]

I only have them nowadays for the protection they are supopsed to offer... when they're not being munched.

[LilacSandy]

At least if they are munching Marigolds they are not munching your crops

[sunshineband]

I don't bother woth these at all at the plot, and use calendula instead, which works just as well imho, and isn't eaten by slugs particularly 

[arugula]

That's a good tip Sunny!

[sunshineband]

I think that calendula was the original 'pest repellent' not the half hardy tagetes types tbh.

I remember a thread last year that went on and on about this, as so mnay people disagreed with me.

Thing is, grow what suits you and does the job you want done... if the slugs let you