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Need planting suggestions for unattended crops that deer don't like

 
Scott Stiller
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Location: North Carolina zone 7
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posted 8 years ago
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I have a planting area several acres from my home. I want to do some planting but I don't want to waist seed feeding the deer. Are there any regular crops that deer just don't care for?

Regards, Scott

 
Joseph Lofthouse
author & steward
Posts: 7373
Location: Cache Valley, zone 4b, Irrigated, 9" rain in badlands.
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posted 8 years ago
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I have one field with a lot of deer. I only plant squash into that field. They don't eat much. Maybe 5% of fruits will have a bite taken out of them. I've been selecting for squash that tend to cover the fruits with leaves, so that they are less visible to the deer. I could further reduce deer predation if I planted in hills placed about 3 feet apart. I choose to sacrifice some fruits by planting in rows cause it works better for me for irrigation and weeding. I don't remember a bite being taken out of a bush zucchini. I figure cause leaves cover the fruits better. Besides, it's a zucchini.

I can't grow muskmelons in that field any more. I was content with the deer eating these melons, they taught me what I can grow in that field... Besides -- Where else are my deer kin going to get such fine food?







deer-damaged-muskmelons.jpg
[Thumbnail for deer-damaged-muskmelons.jpg]
Muskmelons damaged by deer.

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Scott Stiller
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Location: North Carolina zone 7
459
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posted 8 years ago
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Good to know. I have lots of big green apple gourds, pumpkins, and various others I can't remember at this hour. I will certainly give them a go on your recommendation. Thank you.

Regards, Scott

 
Anne Miller
steward
Posts: 17591
Location: USDA Zone 8a
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posted 8 years ago
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You might try planting some flowers that deer don't like on the outer edges.   Most smelly or prickly things like sage, lavender, oregano, yarrow are deer resistant.   They have never bothered our tomatoes, bell peppers.  Last year it was only watermelon that they tried to sample.  This year I made the mistake of planting broccoli so they found the garden.  When they sampled the new plum tree, DH put up an electric fence around the whole veggie garden.

They hadn't bothered the flower garden until I planted iris.  They didn't like them just damaged them pulling them up and spitting them out.

Deer resistant means they don't usually like them but when something is the only green they can find they might try it.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
Ken W Wilson
pollinator
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posted 8 years ago
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I think sweet potatoe leaves are their favorite thing. Then they will eat the all cantaloupe leaves if the fruit isn't ready. They don't  seem to care for watermelon vines, but I'm sure they like the fruit.  They seem to wipe out whatever favorite is available then move to the next favorite.

Does anyone know if the like pecan seeddlings?
 
Mike Haasl
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posted 8 years ago
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I've heard they don't like horseradish and rhubarb.  I'll find out this year....

SKIP books, get 'em while they're hot!!! Skills to Inherit Property
See me in a movie building a massive wood staircase:Low Tech Lab Movie

 
Anne Miller
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Ken W Wilson wrote: Does anyone know if the like pecan seeddlings?



I live where there are lots of deer and also lots of pecan groves so maybe they don't like them ... or the growers have good fences.  The problem is the damage the deer do while deciding whether they like them. Due to the mechanics of how they eat they pull up the whole plant or while munching they break off twigs or limbs.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
m c nestor
Posts: 25
posted 8 years ago
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I've never met a plant that a deer wouldn't eat. In drought years they have come right up to the kitchen garden and eaten the potato plants. Before I knew better, I planted a small orchard and they had it eaten down to the ground within a week. They have pulled the peanut plants right up from the ground and eaten leaves, stems, roots and peanuts. They are not my friends.
My niece, who now runs her own organic farm, did an internship at a farm in NC about 10 years ago and I had a chance to visit her. The owners had plant tall thickets as hedges and were successful in keeping the deer out of the gardens. The idea is that a deer will not jump over something if they can't see what's on the other side. I'm currently trying to grow my own hedges with thorny plants such as rosa rugosa, holly and black berries.
 
robert e morgan
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Location: ne kansas
posted 8 years ago
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deer will most definately eat horseradish. had a bunch about a foot across eaten to the ground one fall.

to stand sileent and be considered a fool or to speak and remove all doubt

 
Mike Haasl
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Shoot...  Thanks Robert!

SKIP books, get 'em while they're hot!!! Skills to Inherit Property
See me in a movie building a massive wood staircase:Low Tech Lab Movie

 
Marco Banks
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Mike Jay wrote:Shoot...  Thanks Robert!



Shoot is good advise.

The problem is the solution . . . if the question is, "What kind of sausage should I make this year?"

"The rule of no realm is mine.  But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care.  And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything that passes through this night can still grow fairer or bear fruit and flower again in days to come.  For I too am a steward.  Did you not know?"    Gandolf

 
Kate Muller
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Ken W Wilson wrote:I think sweet potatoe leaves are their favorite thing. Then they will eat the all cantaloupe leaves if the fruit isn't ready. They don't  seem to care for watermelon vines, but I'm sure they like the fruit.  They seem to wipe out whatever favorite is available then move to the next favorite.

Does anyone know if the like pecan seeddlings?



Thanks for the warning on the sweet potatoes.  
 
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