Picking Deer Resistent Plants

Many of us commit a wonderful deal of time working in our gardens and perfecting our landscaping. We spend hours on end planting, trimming and watering. We take pride in our challenging work. We actually reap the fruits (and flowers) of our labor. Waking up a single morning to obtain that hungry deer have ravaged our plants makes us madder than a wet hen.

There are issues we can use to deter deer from eating our plants. Elephant garlic, Deer-Off, Liquid Fence, baby formula, hot sauce, and (my personal favored) predator urine do alright for dissuading them, but rather than chase deer away from plants they love we can save ourselves a lot of aggravation by planting points that they do not specifically like to eat.

Now, you may well have heard that there is no such point as a deer proof plant. All plants are subject to becoming mowed down by deer if they are hungry adequate. There are, nonetheless, plants (good seeking ones) that are generally avoided by deer.

Here’s what we know about deer dining habits:

As a great deal as 90% of their water specifications are met by munching on lush greens and tender young, plant growth.

Deer choose high protein crops such as peas, soybeans, turnips, alfalfa and corn.

They like trail mix. Fruit, nuts and seeds are especially critical when the green vegetation starts to dwindle.

There are really couple of animals that can resist the sweet smell of apples. phlox deer resistant are 1 of them.

They will happily rip off the bark of maples, aspens and dogwoods. They get water from their bark and it sits heavily in their four-chambered stomachs, keeping them full longer.

Okay, we know what they favor. Now what do they avoid?

Deer are sensitive to smells and most robust scents can drive them away (unless that smell is apples!)

Like modest young children, deer never like strange textures in their food. They favor not to consume things that are fuzzy, prickly or thorny. (They do like roses although. I guess in their case, the thorns are worth the taste of the delicious flower.)

Deer avoid plants with milky sap and other plants that will upset their stomachs or give them heartburn.

Deer favor not to stroll by means of sharp ornamental grasses or thorny brush to get to meals.

Zinnias – Deer stay clear of the prickly center of zinnia flowers

Okay, now for the great stuff!

There are a range of stunning flowers, shrubs and trees that we can plant in our yard that deer are unlikely to do a lot harm to. I have compiled this list based on data I have collected from browsing educational web sites, retail and wholesale suppliers’ recommendations, public forums and my personal private practical experience.