Do Deer eat Asparagus? ( 5+ Tips to keep them away?)

Asparagus plants are a long-lasting species of vegetables that generally obtain tasty spears every year. It takes asparagus no less than two years from harvesting the seed to your table. They are not only loved by humans but various animals are attracted to them. One of them is the deer who are great creatures of nature. Do deer eat Asparagus? What do you think about this aspect?

Are they damaging your vegetation? They might be. As various plants are liked by the deer so if they find them nearby, they could not stop themselves from eating them. And the deer ruin the hard work of preservation for 20 years! Yes, deer eat Asparagus so that they gain nutrients from it and satisfy their hunger.

When you see that your plants are losing their leaves which are missed, then you have to find out the suspect behind them. They can eat your food, plants, vegetables, and even fruits for their survival. So, you need to make sure first do deer eat Asparagus? And if yes, then how can you stop them so that they remain away from your garden area? 

Do Deer eat Asparagus?

Generally, the Asparagus might be attacked by small eaters like squirrels, but if it is a really hungry deer, who, unfortunately, comes across a bed of asparagus is probably going to rest his stomach on at least some of them in the deck. 

Deer usually love the edible landscape and asparagus happens to be one of their favorites! Although Asparagus is referred to as deer-resistant, it’s not entirely true. Deer would consume the available asparagus in areas where there is no good supply of other choices.

Some signs that will reflect that your plant is eaten by the deer are: 

• If you see piles of marble-like droppings, then they are the culprits.
• You will see their footprints.
• You will see some plants get flattened. 
• If your whole plant is eaten, then deers are responsible. 

5+ Tips to Keep Deer Away

The following tips will for sure help you to get rid of the deer from the Asparagus. Asparagus is a great addition to any garden, so a grower could not take the risk to spoil them. So, follow the below tips so that you keep the deer away from your garden: 

• Use the deer deterrent sprays 
• Make use of red cat eyes 
• Grow plants they hate 
• You can use the deer netting 
• Make use of a scarecrow
• Set up fences 

1. Use the deer deterrent sprays 

As it is a common problem that is faced by everyone. So, you will easily get the spray from the market so that you keep the deer away from your garden. The sprays can be rotten eggs and water, soap spray, etc. It needs to be organic otherwise it could harm your vegetation. So, by spraying them near your plants, deer won’t come there again.

2. Make use of red cat eyes 

It is another tip that can help you for sure. You have to use the red cat eyes that will scare the animals that come to your garden for their food such as raccoons, deer, skunks, etc. by seeing this, they will get that there is another predator who can harm them so they do not come there again.       

3. Grow plants they hate 

The easy and affordable way out is to grow those plants in your garden that are not liked by the deer. If your area has abundant deer, then you should plant those plants that are loved by them. Some of the plants that they hate are zinnia, rosemary, marigolds, etc. There are even herbs that are not liked by them so you can plant them too. 

4. You can use the deer netting 

If you have used it earlier then it is great. It is one of the common ways to keep the deer away from the garden. Putting a net around your garden or your plants will be the best option for you to protect them. Though it is tough to hide your plants with this netting, you can do this for their protection. 

5. Make use of a scarecrow 

What about a scarecrow? A fake owl or old scarecrow can help you a lot in getting rid of these animals. They are the predators that can scare the visiting animals so that they do come inside your garden. 

6. Make use of fences

Last but not least, you have to keep in mind that if the other tips aren’t helping you out, then you have to choose at least one that could help you so that you protect your Asparagus from the deer. For that, you can set up fences as they won’t be able to cross them if you set their height at 8 feet tall. Though it will be costly you have to do it so that you keep the deer swaying from your garden. 

What Other Animals Eat Asparagus?

Here are  some other animals that eat asparagus:

Squirrels:

Squirrels are used to eating asparagus which is a good source of vitamin-rich food for them. There are many gardeners who usually say that they don’t mind if the animal eats the asparagus but this doesn’t always mean it. 

Rabbits:

The rabbits don’t usually eat them but if you are having a hungry Bunny Colony then they can eat your asparagus which is a good nutritious source for them. 

Chickens:

In case you are having chickens in your house or farm then growing asparagus will be a good source of food for them as they love to eat asparagus. 

How to Tell If A Deer is Eating Your Asparagus

There are few symptoms by which you can identify if it here please eating your asparagus or not:

Footprints:

You can easily identify them by their footprints and get to know who is eating your asparagus. Dear are the animals who do have split Hooves which make them have two sides to each hoof. The other animals like pigs, sheep, and cattle also do have split hooves but only the deer is the animal whose hoofprints are farther apart because of having long legs. 

Deer Scat:

You can easily identify the deer scat. The scat of the deer will be piles as compared to the scat of rabbits which are more scattered out. The deer are the animals that poop in standing position but the rabbits are used to poop while roaming around and moving. 

Flattened Plants Nearby:

The deer are the animals having a weight of approximately 160 lbs. In short, if they are roaming in your garden you can easily notice them because there will be some crust plants or downed grass. 

Whole Plants Are Eaten, Not Just Nibbled:

If there are deer getting to your garden and eating asparagus they will eat the whole plant not just nibble the plant. They do consist of a large stomach to be filled as they can easily eat a whole head of cabbage. 

And in case if the whole plant is not eaten then it could be done by some other small animal. 

Concluding lines 

In this guide, you come to know about the damage that deer might cause to your Asparagus. If the asparagus has attained a good height then it also won’t be speared by the deer. Asparagus is never the first choice for deer, but they don’t spare it either, especially when they are hungry with no other food choice. Read the article carefully so that you can protect your plants and keep the deer away from your garden. 

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