In this brief study, we will answer the question “can deer eat potatoes?” We will also discuss the fruits and vegetables liked and disliked by deer and different ways to prevent damage done to the gardens by deer.
Can deer eat potatoes?
Deer usually do not like eating potatoes, but deer may eat potatoes if there isn’t anything else available. Deer are attracted to potato leaves, but they do not eat them since they are poisonous.
What foods should you avoid feeding deer?
Avoid feeding hay, maize, kitchen leftovers, potatoes, lettuce trimmings, or any other animal proteins converted into feed to your animals. If deer are given supplementary meals throughout the winter and have a full stomach of indigestible items, they may potentially starve.
Are potatoes resistant to deer?
Seasonings are generally resistant to deer, although basil and parsley are favorites. Deer don’t like the tops of root crops like potatoes, but they enjoy sweet potato tops, beetroot tops, and turnip tops. Deer have been found to search for beetroot and other root crops when they become hungry.
What are the foods that deer like to eat the most?
Fruits and nuts are favorites of deer. In addition to acorns, they like walnuts, hickory nuts, and beechnut acorns. Apples, berries, raspberries, and pears are some of the deer’s favorite fruits.
Deer’s Favorite Fruits and Vegetables
Deer will want to remain and feast if you plant beets, cabbage, apples, berries, beans, or broccoli in your garden. Mustard, green vegetables, peas, spinach, turnip, cabbage, carrots, kohlrabi, peas, strawberries, plums, sweet potatoes, and celery are other favorites among deer. Eliminate these foods in gardening if you’d prefer to reduce deer damage.
Fruits and Vegetables not liked by deer
When natural food sources are scarce, deer will eat almost anything, but they shun specific veggies and plants otherwise. Rhubarb is an excellent crop to plant in your backyard to keep deer away since it is poisonous to them. Deer are also put off by strong-smelling vegetables like fennel, garlic, and onion. Thorny vegetables, such as cucumber, and vegetables with hairy skins, such as some squash types, are disliked by deer.
Tomatoes, jalapenos, carrot roots, onion, asparagus, leeks, and globe artichokes are among the vegetables that deer dislike. Mint, chives, dill, lavender, sage, thyme, parsley, tarragon, and rosemary are herbs that are generally safe from hungry deer. Although not being particularly favored foods, deer can consume cilantro, kale, chard, basil, mango, melon, butternut squash, salad greens, beets, cauliflower, radish, and potatoes when they are starving enough.
Other FAQs about Potatoes which you may be interested in.
How long do potatoes last?
How long do sweet potatoes last?
Can cut potatoes be refrigerated?
How to prevent damage done by deer to your garden?
Consider additional deer-resistant garden edibles if growing deer-resistant garden foods isn’t enough to keep deer away. Check your state’s hunting permit regulations and limitations for homeowners. Deer hunting may be permitted at specific periods of the year or with special permission. A high-voltage electric fence is a much more humane method to keep deer away from your garden. Utilizing two 4-foot lengths of welded wire fencing linked one on top of the other, construct a security fence at least 6 – 8 feet high for big regions.
Hanging bars of scented soap on poles or plants all around the perimeter of your garden is another method to keep deer away. Before hanging the soap, leave the wrapping on the bar and make a tiny hole through it.
However, since deer get used to scents, this should only work for a short period. A combination of yolks and water, sprayed to the ground using a pressure sprayer, provides an alternate repellant. (Don’t stress about the decaying egg stench; it repels deer but is undetectable by humans.)
As a general rule, cover 1 acre with a dozen eggs and 5 gallons of water, then reapply after each rain. Deer are likewise repelled by human hair. Take two big handfuls of hair from your neighborhood barbershop and put them in empty mesh bags. Hang bags 28 to 30 inches off the ground near plants. You may have to try a few different deer repellents before finding one that works.
Deer-resistant vegetables
Smelly and strong-tasting plants
Deer dislike onions, cloves, leeks, coriander, thyme, peppermint, and cinnamon. Seasonings are generally resistant to deer, although basil and parsley are favorites.
Fuzzy, thorny plants
Deer are less attracted to this category of deer-resistant veggies. Blueberries, squash, and pumpkin are among the plants. Melon plants are disliked by deer, although deer and a variety of several other animals like them.
Root veggies
Because digging to get to the tubers is needed, root vegetables are relatively deer resistant and are frequently overlooked by deer when other more appealing foods are available. Deer don’t like the tops of root crops like potatoes, but they enjoy sweet potato tops, beetroot tops, and carrot tops.
Conclusion
In this brief study, we answered the question “can deer eat potatoes?” We also discussed the fruits and vegetables liked and disliked by deer and different ways to prevent damage done to the gardens by deer.
Reference
https://sciencing.com/feed-oranges-wild-birds-6196309.html
https://everythingwhat.com/do-deer-like-potatoes
