Do deer eat okra?

Do deer eat okra? If you live in a wooded area, deer can be an issue for your gardens. In this article, we will talk about okra and their deer relationship.

Okra makes a fascinating crop. They are beautiful and yet enriched with healthy nutrients. They are na-tive to Africa, but the edible green seedpods have been used for a long time inside dishes. Growers es-pecially love okra because they can thrive in any climate and are fast-growing. Their stems and leaves also make fabulous colorful varieties and so some people use them as attractive garden borders. How-ever, if you live in a wooded area (with plenty of deer) and you are considering planting okra in any form, you may wonder- do deer eat okra?

Okra and deer-resistant plants

While there are different deer-resistant plants out there, okra isn’t one of them. Still, some articles list them as occasionally damaged plants, but what isn’t written is that the term “occasionally” only be-comes relevant when they can find other food sources. What’s more, deer will not just eat okra, but de-vour them completely. They will strip the plant of its leaves, stems, and fruits, subsequently mowing them to the ground. They are also known for their love of young tender bits, so your young okra plants are especially vulnerable to deer.

Deer deterrents for okra planting

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to keep deer away from your okra plants; they include:
Sacrificing your borders: You can consider planting deer favorites such as lettuce, beans, and lots more at the edge of your orchard. However, there is a drawback to this method. If you choose these meth-ods, especially without fencing, you may attract deer into your orchard, and they love sampling from everything!

Repellents

You can also use repellents to keep deer away from your okra. Smell and taste repellents can be applied directly to your plants to deter them. However, deer can become familiar with the repellents, and they are very persistent. Therefore, you must alternate between repellents to keep them away.

Scare tactics

Some people consider using motion-activated sprinklers or other visual and noise scare tactics to keep the deer out. However, just like repellents, they can become used to this method. Therefore, you must also alternate between your chosen scare tactics.

Fencing

Fencing is one of the best ways to keep deer away from your orchard, as long as it is over 8-foot. Deer can jump as high as 5 feet and higher when hungry. You can also consider making a slanted 8-foot fence to keep them from attempting the jump ultimately. Two 6-foot walls placed parallel to each other, with about 2 inches between, is also useful. Deer will not jump over a fence, especially when it cannot see where it lands.

Concluding thoughts

Do deer eat okra? Absolutely and they caused untold damage to the okra plant. Therefore, you must consider using deer deterrents to keep them away. Always remember that no deer proofing method is the ultimate. A diligent grower requires a good number of them, alternated from time to time, to keep deer away.

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