If you live in a wooded area and have tomatoes in your garden, it’s likely that deer have already eaten them as a nightly snack before you had the chance to enjoy one.
Additionally, they seriously harm the garden. Let’s quickly go over the many techniques to stop a deer from eating your well-earned tomatoes.
The following are the best methods to prevent a deer from eating your tomato plants: You might decide to construct a customized deer or bird netting fence around your tomato plant or crop.
Additionally, hardware and gardening stores sell deer-repellent spray. Deer are kept away by regularly using deer repellent spray. To understand more about these alternatives, continue reading.
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Do deer eat tomato plants?
When you are sound asleep at night, they like to visit your garden for a late-night dining experience that harms your vegetable patch.
Are tomatoes deer resistant?
A gardener is similar to a scientist who tests out various ideas to see what works and what doesn’t. For this reason, I’ve provided a variety of strategies to prevent deer from consuming your tomato plants. To make them work for you, you might need to make some adjustments. To determine what works best for you, you might need to mix a number of these strategies.
1. Keep deer-resistant plants as companion plants for your tomatoes
Your first line of defense must be this. Choose a plant with the following qualities:
- plants with leaf hairs or fuzziness
These delicate and bristly leaf textures are unpleasant to deer’s tongues. As a result, this is a fantastic plant to choose for your garden as a tomato companion plant. Heliotrope, tuberous begonia, poppies, and similar plants are a few examples of them.
- prickly-leaved plants
Because of the roughness of the leaves, they stay away from these plants. For humans, eating is similar to using sandpaper as food. These plants include, among others, sea hollies and globe thistles.
- plants with flavorful leaves
Deer are discouraged from consuming plants with strong fragrances because it disturbs their sense of smell. Sage, thyme, lavender, oregano, rosemary, and other aromatic herbs are available. These make excellent tomato companion plants.
2. Build a fence around your vegetable garden
When constructing a deer fence to keep deer out of your gardens, a stockade fence is preferable to a see-through one. When they can’t see what’s on the other side of a wall, deer are less likely to attempt to jump over it. Even if it could feel more like you’ve caged the deer in than the other way around.
Additionally effective at keeping out deer are electric fences. Because some local governments restrict it, check your local zoning regulations. Because deer are exceptional jumpers, any electric fence you construct must be taller than 8 feet.
You might also take extra measures if you have kids, dogs, or poultry. It might not be wise to do this if you have them. Electric fences require regular maintenance. Be cautious to keep weeds and plants away from them.
Some people use two fences. Deer dislike jumping into closed-off areas because they feel confined within. This may work well to keep deer out of the garden.
Another alternative for your tomato plants is fencing. Deer or bird netting can be kept draped over them at all times.
3. Use a deer repellant spray
You can buy a deer repellent spray at hardware or gardening stores. You must diligently apply deer repellents to your tomato plants if you want them to continue working. The greatest suggestion I can give you is to use it once a week and set a reminder on your phone.
A deer deterrent with a spreader and a sticker component will last longer and require less frequent application than a standard one. You can use it when deer browse is at its worst or during the winter.
4. Use homemade deer repellant sprays
The reason deer repellents work is because they combine odor and taste deterrents. Most frequently, putrified eggs, dried blood, garlic, and soaps are used as deer deterrents.
The best items are those made from eggs. Deer become accustomed to the scent of soap, so soap-based repellents are the least likely to stop them from eating your tomatoes.
Here is a recipe you can use to make your own homemade deer repellent.
Ingredients:
- Three teaspoons of spicy sauce
- 3 eggs, raw
- a quart of water
- minced garlic, 3 tablespoons
Instructions:
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a blender. To thin the solution out, mix it with a half cup of water. To 1 gallon of water, add this. Put them in a spray bottle and mist your tomato plants with it.
5. Get ultrasonic products
Purchase ultrasonic goods to dissuade deer and keep other animals away since they work well. This device operates by releasing a high-frequency sound that can only be audible to animals with enhanced hearing. They’ll become irritated by this and stay away.
6. Lay fencing wire on the ground
These cables are uncomfortable for deer to step on and feel under their hooves. This can be kept flat on the ground and spread out around your garden. Again, consider taking some safety measures if you have children, dogs, or chickens since doing this might not be the best idea for them.
7. Use spent coffee grounds
Due to their strong bitter fragrance, leftover coffee grounds kept for a week in a plastic bag can be utilized as a deer deterrent. Just be sure to carefully close your plastic bags to prevent the growth of mold.
Spread them out near your tomato plants a week later, and see how long they can deter deer. You might wish to reapply after a week or use another deer repellent since they might become accustomed to it over time or because rain may wash away the strong coffee smell.
8. Use butterfly bush
Deer are repelled by the perfume of the butterfly bush. Stake your tomato plants with this. When put on top of the tomato plant, the butterfly bush’s lighter branches can act as a shield.
9. Installing motion-activated sprinklers near your tomato plants
Sprinklers that detect movement fire a quick burst of water in that direction. Using this method can effectively keep deer away from your tomato plants.
Your choice and the best course of action to protect your tomato plant from a deer is to combine a few of these tactics. To continue enjoying a plentiful supply of tomatoes, figure out what works for your garden.