Do deer eat kumquats?

Do deer eat kumquats? If you find yourself planting to add these precious fruits to your garden, you need to learn more about deer nutrition.

Kumquats (Cumquats) are citrus trees that produce little orange fruits that are just about a large grape’s size. Although native to Southeast China and Japan, they have come to be known for their tangy and delicious taste. They stand out from other citrus fruit because they are the only citrus fruit with an edible peel. It’s one reason they find excellent additions in marmalades and desserts. Even so, they have decorative potential and make perfect potted plants for interior and exterior use. Therefore, you can grow them as trees or container plants anywhere you like. But, before you start planting, you need to know which pests to prepare for. Aphids and scale insects are on one side. But, what about the four-legged Bambi? This begs the question – do deer eat Kumquats?

Kumquats as Deer favorites

Deer love fruits, including Kumquats. They will preferably eat the tender shoots and leaves which you need to prevent to ensure your kumquat tree grows well at early stages.

Concerning the mature ones, they will go for the fruits. They also prefer fresh ones from the tree and will stand on their hind legs to reach the tree and have as much as they like. This will reduce a massive portion of the harvest because deer is a voracious eater. They will also eat off the ground if hungry, which usually isn’t a problem. However, when they have access to your tree, there’s also a higher chance they will rub their antlers and buck against them, thereby causing significant damage.

Here are some methods to keep deer away from your kumquats.

Fencing

Fencing is an adequate method to keep deer from your kumquats, but fencing is costly. However, if deer is a persistent problem, the expenses will be worth it in the long run. Regardless, you will need to check your fencing for damages from time to time, including broken gates, damaged wires, soil washout beneath the fence, etc. Make repairs as early as possible because deer are very resilient and can use a single vulnerable opportunity to get inside.

Woven wire fence

Although the traditional fencing method is wood, you can also create a woven wire fence. Regardless of the type of fencing material you choose, make sure it is about 8ft or more to keep them out. You can have 6ft of woven wire and then barbed wire at the top that extends to the required height for the woven wire fence. Your fence should also fit tightly to the ground; else, deer will crawl under.

Individual fence

You can also use wire mesh cylinders to protect individual trees. Ensure they are about 7 to 8 feet tall and wide enough to prevent deer from reaching out and nibbling at the foliage. Ensure they are well secured into the ground, so a desperate deer cannot tip them over.

Repellents

You can also use repellents to keep deer away. Make sure to use odor-based repellents and apply varying options weekly to keep the deer guessing and unfamiliar. Although you can create your deer repellents at home, we recommend buying a carefully designed deer repellent mix. However, you need to apply them judiciously, especially when it snows or rains.

Concluding thoughts

Do deer eat kumquats? Yes, they do and can cause undue damage to your kumquat trees. Use the anti-deer strategies we have outlined to stop them from having a buffet with your kumquat. Always remember that there is no one way to keep deer out of your garden. So, you should mix about two to three of these deer deterrents to effectively get them away from your precious fruits.

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