Yes, deer will occasionally eat marigolds flowers. Marigolds, along with many other flowering plants, are considered a major food source for deer. During the warmer months, deer are often seen grazing on the petals and leaves of these flowers.
Although deer do not typically prioritize marigolds over other types of vegetation, they will consume them when other more preferred food sources are not readily available. Marigolds’ pungent scent is believed to repel some deer and other foragers, but it is not considered a significant deterrent either.
Therefore, if marigolds are planted in an area where deer graze, it is likely that some of the plants will be eaten.
Do deer eat petunia plants?
Yes, deer will eat petunia plants. Petunias are considered an annual, so they can be an attractive meal for deer if other preferred food sources aren’t present. Unfortunately, deer will quickly decimate a petunia planter or garden if left unchecked.
Luckily, there are several things you can do to protect your petunias from deer. First, strategically place motion-activated lights, noisemakers, and soaps around the garden to repel deer. You can also try planting a variety of fragrant plants, such as geraniums, rosemary, lavender, or sage, that deer may be less likely to approach.
Finally, a deer fence can be an effective deterrent and will protect your petunias from any deer that wander into your yard.
What flower deer will not eat?
Deer will generally avoid food items that are toxic to them, and since many flowers contain trace amounts of harmful compounds, they will usually not eat flowers. Some popular flowers that deer will usually tend to avoid are daffodils, lilies, and yarrow.
These flowers contain toxic compounds that are unpleasant for deer to ingest, making them less likely to feed on them. Other popular flowers that deer do not typically feed on include pansies, petunias, and snapdragons.
Additionally, dried flowers are rarely consumed as the flowers tend to be bitter after drying – deer will not feed on items that are distasteful to them. In conclusion, deer are predominantly browsers and will rarely feed on flowers due to their potential toxicity.
Will deer eat impatiens?
Yes, deer can eat impatiens. While deer may not seek out impatiens specifically, they have a taste for all types of green vegetation and are prone to nibbling on flowers if they are not properly fenced in or otherwise kept away.
They are particularly fond of young and tender leaves. Despite their natural beauty, impatiens offer little to no nutritional value to deer, so they are generally not a preferred choice as browse. If deer have access to a garden bed containing impatiens, it’s possible that they could graze on the foliage, especially during outbreaks of their main fodder, such as grasses.
If deer have been the cause of significant damage to your impatiens, the best solution is to erect a fence or other deterrent around or near the plants.
How do stop the deer from eating my petunias?
One of the most effective methods is to erect a fence around the area where your petunias are planted. A fence made of poultry wire or mesh wire and installed 4-feet (1.2 m) high should be sufficient to deter deer from entering the garden.
However, if the deer are particularly persistent, you may need a taller fence.
Another way to deter deer is to use repellents. The most common repellents are spray-on and granular products that contain strong smelling ingredients or tastes like garlic or hot pepper. Reapply the repellent every 1-2 weeks after a heavy rainfall as the scent can dissipate.
If possible, it is also helpful to plant alternative foods for the deer, such as ornamental grasses and flowers, in a different area of your garden. This can give the deer something to eat other than your petunias.
Taking preventive measures like these can help to keep deer from eating your petunias. Be sure to try a few of these strategies and monitor the results to find the best solution for your garden.
Will petunias come back after deer eat them?
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that petunias will come back after deer have eaten them. Deer commonly consume petunias, as they are one of their favorite plants. Once a deer has consumed a petunia, they may not leave enough of the plant intact for it to rebuild itself.
Additionally, deer can cause significant damage to petunias by ever-nibbling on the foliage and flowers, leaving the plant stressed and unable to grow past a certain point.
It is possible to protect petunias from deer with repellents, fencing, or other methods, but if the deer have already eaten the petunias, they cannot be brought back. The best course of action then would be to replace them with new petunia plants.
Which animal eats geraniums?
Many different animals are known to eat geraniums, including rabbits, deer, voles, and porcupines. Rabbits can do a lot of damage to geraniums in a garden, as their hearty appetite for the plants can destroy them quickly.
Deer can also eat geraniums, particularly during the winter where other food sources are scarce. Voles are a small rodent that will eat geranium flowers, leaves, and roots. Porcupines pose a unique problem for geranium gardeners, as they are surprisingly good climbers and can often make their way up to the top of plants to munch away at the leaves from above.
Thankfully all of these animals can, in most cases, be deterred with the use of fencing, scare tactics, and natural, non-toxic deterrents, like pungent scents and smells.
What animal is eating my petunias?
It can be difficult to determine what animal is eating your petunias, since there are several species of animals that might be responsible. It’s possible that the culprit could be a squirrel, rabbit, deer, groundhog, woodchuck, raccoon, or even a rodent like a mouse or rat.
In addition, some birds, such as robins, may also peck at petunias.
To get to the bottom of this mystery, you could look for tell-tale signs of the animal’s presence: from droppings, tracks, or torn petunias on the ground. You could also try to catch a glimpse of the animal in the act of snacking on your beloved petunias by setting up a security camera or strategically positioning a mirror to allow you to watch the plants without being detected.
If the animal is a rodent, you may also spot signs of gnawing or nesting. If a smaller mammal such as a rabbit or squirrel is the culprit, you could try removing the animal from your yard using humane animal traps.
Ultimately, it may take some detective work to determine the animal responsible for your petunias’ loss, but taking the time to investigate can be well worth the effort in the end.
How do I bring my petunias back to life?
If your petunias are looking wilted and sad, fear not! First, check the soil and make sure it is moist but not wet. Petunias prefer well-draining, slightly acidic soil so if needed, add a bit of humus or compost to the soil.
Petunias also need plenty of sunlight so make sure they are getting full sun for at least 6 hours per day. Additionally, Petunias require regular fertilizer to maintain their lush bloom and vibrant colors.
Feed you petunias at least once every 2 or 3 weeks with a high-phosphorous, water-soluble fertilizer or a slow-release plant food. Finally, prune dead, diseased or damaged petunias to keep them growing healthy and to encourage new blooms.
Regular pruning keeps petunias blooming bountifully until the summer ends!.
Will petunias grow back?
Yes, petunias will grow back the next season if the plants have been taken care of. For the best chance at success, it is best to cut them back after they finish flowering in late fall or early winter.
All the old stems should be pruned back to the basal growth, right above the crown of the plant. This is also the time to divide and transplant petunias to make more plants. In the spring, new growth will begin to emerge from the base of the plant, and when temperatures stay consistently warm, start adding fertilizer to encourage blooms.
With the right kind of care and attention, petunias will thrive and produce blooms throughout the season.
Are deer attracted to petunias?
It is unlikely that deer are particularly drawn to petunias as these are not a natural food source for the animals. That being said, because petunias are relatively easy to access and munch on, deer may still be attracted to them in some cases.
Planting petunias in gardens is generally not seen as a great deterrent to keep deer away, although they may not necessarily be drawn to them with a particular preference.
Other plants that deer may find more attractive as a source of food include tulips, hostas, nasturtiums, and marigolds. Planting these can be a better way for gardeners to protect their petunias from being nibbled on by deer.
Of course, adding deer-proof fencing around gardens is the surest way to keep curious deer away.
What kind of flowers do deer dislike?
Deer generally dislike strong-smelling flowers such as marigolds, bee balm, catmint, chrysanthemums, lavender, and salvia. They also tend to avoid small-flowered plants with hairy leaves, spiky foliage, or bitter leaves, such as yarrow, milkweed, daisies, and coneflowers.
Deer also do not typically like foliage with a milky sap, such as daffodils, foxglove, and hostas. However, other species of deer have been known to enjoy the taste of flowers like roses, chrysanthemums, pansies, and lilies, so depending on the type of deer in the area, these plants may still be at risk of being eaten.
To prevent deer from eating flowers, installing a fence or planting a hedge around the garden can be effective.