Plants Deer Like To Eat

If you’re tired of watching deer treat your garden like a personal buffet, maybe it’s time to try a different approach. Instead of fighting them, consider planting some of the plants deer like to eat in a designated area. This strategy can help protect your prized blooms while peacefully coexisting with your local wildlife.

Creating a deer-friendly garden doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice beauty. It’s about smart plant selection and layout. By offering deer their favorite snacks in one spot, they might just leave the rest of your garden alone. Let’s look at how to make this work for you.

Deer are creatures of habit and have clear preferences. They love plants that are tender, succulent, and often high in nutrients. If you want to distract them, these are the plants to include in your designated deer garden. Think of it as planting a sacrifice zone to save your other plants.

Here are some common favorites that deer will actively seek out:

Hostas (Often called deer candy)
Daylilies
Roses (especially the new buds and leaves)
Tulips and Crocus
English Ivy
Vegetable gardens (beans, peas, and lettuce are top targets)
Fruit trees and berries (young apple trees are a particular favorite)
Panicle Hydrangeas (more so than other hydrangea types)

Why Deer Choose These Plants

Deer go for plants that are easy to digest and provide good moisture content. They often prefer fertilized plants found in gardens over tougher native vegetation. Understanding this helps you plan. By grouping these tasty plants together, you make it easy for deer to find a meal without wandering.

Designing Your Deer-Friendly Garden Zone

The key to success is location. You want to place the deer-friendly plants away from your home and your most valuable garden beds. The goal is to draw the deer to a specific area and encourage them to stay there.

Step-by-Step Layout Plan

Choose a location. Pick a spot on the edge of your property, preferably near a natural treeline where deer feel comfortable entering.
Make it accessable. Ensure deer have a clear, safe path to this area without having to jump fences near your other gardens.
Plant in clusters. Group all the deer-preferred plants together in this zone. This creates a more attractive, dense food source.
Add water. If possible, include a shallow birdbath or small water feature. Water is a major attractant, especially in dry seasons.
Maintain it. Keep this area somewhat wild and lightly fertilized to promote tender, appealing growth.

Plants to Avoid in Your Main Garden

While you’re planting treats for deer, you should also fortify your main garden with plants they typically avoid. This double strategy is your best bet. Deer-resistant plants are usually aromatic, have fuzzy leaves, or are toxic.

Strongly scented herbs: Lavender, Sage, Rosemary
Fuzzy-leaved plants: Lamb’s Ear, Russian Sage
Toxic plants: Daffodils, Foxglove, Monkshood
Ornamental grasses: Fountain Grass, Switchgrass

Long-Term Maintenance and Coexistence

A deer-friendly zone requires a bit of upkeep to remain effective. You need to manage it just like any other part of your landscape.

Seasonal Considerations

In spring, deer are desperate for fresh greens after a lean winter. This is when your deer garden will be most heavily visited. Make sure it’s the first thing to green up. In fall, deer are bulking up for winter. Consider leaving some fallen fruit or late-season produce in your designated zone.

When Deer Pressure is High

Even with a sacrifice zone, during times of drought or in areas with very large deer populations, they may still sample other plants. It’s important to have realistic expectations. You can add temporary fencing around your most precious beds during these peak times as a backup plan. A little flexibility goes a long way in gardening.

Using Repellents Strategically

Repellents can be part of your plan, but use them on the plants you want to protect, not in the deer-friendly zone. Rotate between different types (egg-based, garlic, predator urine) so deer don’t become accustomed to one. Apply them regularly, especially after rain. This trains the deer that the easy meal is in their designated spot, not elsewhere.

Beyond Plants: Creating a Habitat

If you want to take your deer-friendly approach further, think about their overall needs. Providing a reliable food source in one area can make them less likely to cause damage elsewhere because they feel secure.

Allow some native brush piles for cover near the feeding zone.
Minimize loud noises or sudden disturbances in that area.
Consider adding a mineral lick specifically formulated for deer, available at farm supply stores.

This holistic approach shows your not just gardening for yourself, but for the ecosystem. It’s a more sustainable way to manage human-wildlife interactions in your backyard.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the best intentions, a few errors can undermine your efforts. Here’s what to watch out for:

Placing the deer garden too close to your house or main patio. This invites them into spaces where you don’t want them.
Using high fences around your protected garden but not around the deer zone. Deer will take the path of least resistence.
Forgetting to replenish the area. If the deer zone becomes barren, they will immediately return to your other plants.
Getting discouraged to quickly. It may take a season or two for deer to establish new feeding patterns in your yard.

FAQ: Deer in the Garden

What plants do deer love the most?

Deer absolutely love hostas, daylilies, roses, and most young fruit trees and vegetable plants. These are often the first plants eaten in a garden.

Will planting deer favorites attract more deer to my property?

It may attract deer that are already in the area, but it’s unlikely to draw in entirely new herds from far away. The goal is to manage the deer that are already visiting you.

What are some deer resistant garden favorites?

Great deer-resistant choices for your main garden include peonies, daffodils, lavender, catmint, boxwood, and most ornamental grasses. Remember, “resistant” is not “proof,” but these are much less palatable.

How can I protect my new deer-friendly plants until they’re established?

Use a temporary cylinder of wire mesh around individual new plants. This protects them while they grow large enough to withstand some browsing. Once they’re established, deer trimming can actually make some plants bushier.

Creating a garden with plants deer like to eat in a specific zone is a practical and compassionate strategy. It acknowledges the presence of wildlife while giving you more control. By thoughtfully planning your space, you can enjoy a beautiful, thriving garden and the quiet pleasure of watching deer, all from your window. The success of this method relies on consistency and smart plant choices. With a little patience, you can find a balance that works for both you and your four-legged visitors.