Slugs are a pain. Fact. But we are of the opinion that a lot of people give up easily when their seedlings are attacked. Sometimes, it’s worth leaving them in the ground, just in case!
These celeriac seedlings (pictured) for example were seemingly completely munched by slugs just a couple of days after they were planted. A week later, however, they had a second wind and produced a few new shoots. You can see the longer, slug eaten shoots are dying off, and the smaller, newer shoots are appearing. This doesn’t always happen, but it is definitely a good idea to give plants a chance. They have a strong desire to survive, and can often surprise us!
So, if you suffer a bit of slug damage, don’t pull the plants up immediately unless you really are convinced it’s game over. Just put down some slug precautions (beer traps etc) and leave it for a few days. Keep watering them and keep a close eye on the plants for signs of new growth and, fingers crossed, they may make a bit of a comeback. We’ve seen slug-attacked beans make a good recovery, as well as carrots and celeriac, so you never know!