Do Deer Eat Hydrangeas And How To Protect Them?
If you didn’t know Hydrangeas are a generic name for more than 70 species of flowers. Mostly common in Asia and America, they are plants that grow as shrubs and medium-sized trees.
Hydrangeas are mostly found as shrubs but if you search them up you will also find them in tree forms. They mostly grow in fall and spring and they are loved due to their beauty and amazing colors. Hydrangeas also have beautiful flowers during the summer.
Unfortunately, these beautiful plants are endangered by different animals and need protection from them. Deer are one of many species that like eating hydrangeas and they pose a big threat to a lot of people’s gardens.
However, there are still some ways you can save your precious hydrangeas and keep the deer away from your garden. Therefore some of the following tips can be very useful in order to protect your hydrangea flowers from deer.
Do Deer Eat Hydrangeas?
There is a big chance that if deer come close to your garden they will feed off your hydrangeas. Hydrangea bushes have been eaten by deer mainly out of preference. Thus you will have to find the right way to repel deer in order to keep your flowers safe.
Do Deer Like Hydrangeas?
It is no surprise that deer like hydrangeas mostly because of their beautiful appearance. So if you live in an area where deer movement is frequent you will have to take action and protect your hydrangeas.
Usually, deer come for food when they approach your garden, it is only after they can see the hydrangeas they start to feast on them. The newly planted ones have a hard time surviving, unlike the older ones who might just make it and survive.
So if you already have hydrangeas planted in your garden then it is recommended you set up protection fences as soon as possible and take action to protect them.
Will Hydrangeas Grow Back if Eaten by Deer?
Fortunately yes, hydrangeas will indeed grow back after being eaten by deer. That is because deer most of the time only eat the top part of the flower leaving the bud on the plant, so it allows the flower to bloom once again.
The buds can be considered as a backup of the flower whenever it has been feasted by the deer, so as long as the bud is still intact the flower is going to grow back.
It is always important to remember that new hydrangeas are weaker than the older ones. The best way to protect your hydrangeas is to invest on the right equipment. The most effective deer deterrent is a sturdy fence that will keep deer away from your garden.
Keeping Deer From Eating Hydrangeas
If you follow these 6 tips then the chances of deer eating your hydrangeas will be slim to none.
1. Homemade Mixes
This is a very simple trick anyone can do. It is low cost, it is nontoxic with no chemicals so it won’t damage your flowers or deer as well.
Deer are known to hate eggs so they will stay as far as possible if they come across them.
Even though deer won’t be damaged by this method it will surely make them walk away because of the smell.
And the mix is very easy to make, all you need to mix is an egg, 1 liter of water, a cup of milk, and baking soda, and then just shake it. When it’s ready you can put it in a spray bottle and use it.
Once the bottle is ready you can spray the hydrangeas just like using a pesticide, except there are no chemicals in it.
It is preferred to use it every two weeks, especially after rainy days. In humid areas, this method works at its best.
2. Use Soap
Deer are known to hate strong smells due to their strong smelling senses. In that case, using soap to repel deer can be a very effective way to keep them out of your garden.
It is preferred to cut the soap into small cubes and place them close to the hydrangeas or even around the fences of your garden. That will work out just fine and deer won’t bother your flowers anymore.
3. Plant Deer Repellent Plants
Having a garden full of tulips, lilies, hydrangeas, and other beautiful flowers can be a very deer-friendly environment. Therefore you will have deer lining up in your backyard.
In that case, you need to plant deer repellent plants as well.
Deer repellent plants have a very unpleasant smell, especially to deer, which will make them avoid your garden. Some of those plants are Boxwood, Lavender, Crabgrass, Ferns, and Poppies.
4. Invest in an Electric Fence
Another type of fence that is very effective against any type of animal, and deer as well is the electrical fence. You can rest easy knowing that no animal is going to come and damage your hydrangea bouquet.
5. Use Nets
One of the oldest methods there is but still to this day it is very effective. You can find them in most stores, and it has a wide spread of use among gardeners.
They are extremely light and you can hardly see them due to them being almost invisible. All you need to do is put them over your flowers and anchor them to the ground with wooden poles.
However, there is a downside to it since the flowers will continue growing and it will be difficult to keep the same nets for a long time. With that being said it still is a small price to pay compared to the protection it offers to the hydrangeas.
6. Take Out Your Radios
It does sound weird and funny but it is a proven effective method to keep deer away from your garden. It is preferred to have a solar-powered radio and place it in the middle of the garden.
Summary
- Hydrangeas are one of the preferred plants for deer and protecting them from deer is essential.
- Usually, the best methods to repel deer are fences.
- Homemade ways to repel deer can also be very useful and low-cost.
Conclusion
Despite being very endangered by deer, there are plenty of ways to protect your hydrangeas from deer. By applying different methods such as the ones mentioned above your lovely hydrangeas are going to look as beautiful as ever, and your garden is going to be safe once again.
