Do deer eat gardenias?

Deer can be an awful pest in the gardens. If you want to plant gardenias, you might ask – do deer eat gardenias? This article will talk about deer food choices and how to minimize or prevent deer from entering your gardens.

Deer can eat a great number of things. There is a long list of things they do munch on, from the English ivy to the evergreen trees. According to experts, deer can eat thousands of variants of grasses, trees, shrubs, forbs, sedges, fruits, and lots more. There have also been reports of deer engaging in carnivorous activities.

There is also an issue with their tasting habits. They have a penchant for tasting everything they see. Even when a particular set of plants don’t taste good, they might return to taste them in the future. Overall, you must strive to protect your precious plantings, which brings us to the question – do deer eat gardenias?

Deer resistant gardenias

Fortunately, gardenia shrubs (gardenia jasminoides) are not favorite meal-time choices for deer. You can cultivate gardenias as a measure of keeping deer away from your gardens. Most gardeners do not just choose gardenias for their deer resistant property. They also choose because gardenias grow into big and gorgeous blossoms and pleasing fragrance, improving their landscape aesthetics. You can also consider the deer-resistant gardenia, August Beauty, which grows from spring. Gardenias like Golden Magic, known for its golden-hued flowers, and ‘Mystery’ known for its double blooms are cultivars to consider.

Nonetheless, you must take great care of your gardenia cultivars to reap its rewards. Avoid improper watering, low humidity, 50 – 55 degrees F temperatures, and poorly drained soils. These can lead to fungal growth, insect infestations, and other diseases that might make things challenging to cultivate healthy plants.

Also, consider cultivating other deer-resistant shrubs, like holly, Japanese kerria, juniper, barberry, Blue mist, Boxwood, and lots more. By creating a garden of deer-resistant plants, you are making sure they have no desirable around for them. You can also use these deer resistant plants as hedges, while planting the more vulnerable cultivars internally.

No proper way to entirely deer-proof your gardens

You need to realize that deer can indeed eat gardenias if the conditions are right. If you have a high deer population and cannot access their preferred food choices, they might feast on your gardenias. If gardenias are also popular in your area, there is a good chance they have become quite familiar with the scent and taste. Deer are known for their ability to adapt to any situation. Winter also makes them desperate for anything, so there is a good chance your precious plants can become buffets overnight. To keep them out, use other deer-resistant methods such as fencing, repellents, and noise-deterrents.

Concluding thoughts

Do deer eat gardenias? No, they don’t, but Bambi can do a lot of crazy things. Even gardenias can become favorites at any opportunity. Therefore, there is no one way to keep them out, especially with plants. We recommend using other methods such as repellents and fencing. When you combine the right methods, you can stop Bambi from feasting on your gardens and causing much havoc.

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