Do Deer Eat Mums? 6 Tips for Protecting Your Fall Flowers from Damage

As you're setting out fall flowers on your front porch, you may be wondering: Do deer eat mums? And for that matter, what about the pansies, ornamental kale, and other colorful annuals that are popular for autumn displays?

If you've been dealing with deer through the growing season, you've probably noticed that these four-legged critters treat the garden like their own personal candy shop, sampling a mouthful of delight every few steps. They'll continue their trick-or-treating tendencies through the fall, browsing on whatever plants are around. Discourage deer from munching on your favorite fall plants with these straightforward tips.

Do Deer Eat Mums?

Animal scientists call deer opportunistic feeders. They prefer a variety of foods and will eat what is readily available. Think of it this way—if a deer was dining in a restaurant, it would choose the buffet rather than a specific menu item.

Deer meander through the landscape, eating a bite of tender foliage, a flower or two, and another bite of foliage a few steps later. When grazing areas are limited, especially in suburban landscapes, deer eat any available plants. These include even prickly junipers and intensely scented marigolds, and yes, your freshly potted fall mums.

It was once thought that the intense fragrance of mum foliage and flowers would deter deer, but that’s been proven false repeatedly. Summer-flowering annuals damaged by deer often have an opportunity to recover by the end of the growing season. However, the shorter growing window for fall annuals makes it nearly impossible for the plants to recover from deer browsing and put on a colorful show, so protecting them from damage is a priority.

Protecting Mums and Fall Flowers from Deer

Use these tips to dissuade deer from taking a bite out of your mums and other fall flowers. Put your method of protection in place at the same time you plant or arrange your autumn display. Deer can destroy unprotected plants in just one night.

1. Embrace the porch or deck.

When possible, move containers of mums and other fall flowers to a deck or a partially enclosed porch where deer are less likely to help themselves to a snack. Even if the deer in your neighborhood are bold enough to walk right up to the front door and take a bite out of your entryway planter, a deck or porch is an excellent option for enjoying seasonal color while living with wildlife.

2. Make an enclosure.

Wrap fall displays in chicken wire or wire mesh to deter deer. Pliable chicken wire and wire mesh are easy to shape over your plants, enclosing the flowers and foliage. While the covering might appear obtrusive when viewed up close, it nearly disappears when viewed from a distance. Box stores and farm supply stores carry a variety of lightweight wire products to choose from.

3. Use a repellent.

Repellents with odors and flavors that deer find unpleasant can help protect plants. Coat the flowers and foliage of fall mums with repellent, reapplying every two weeks or after a heavy rain. Over time, deer will become accustomed to the solution; when that happens, shift to a different formula to continue protecting the plants.

Use one of the many commercial deer repellents on the market, or make your own deer repellent, like this easy recipe from the plant scientists at the University of Minnesota: Thoroughly mix three eggs with a gallon of water, strain the solution, and pour it into a hand sprayer to apply to flowers and foliage.

4. Move your display off the path.

Deer are creatures of habit. They usually travel the same general route foraging for food. If the deer population in your neighborhood is low to moderate, place your fall flowers in out-of-the-way areas where you haven’t noticed deer damage in the past. There’s a good chance the plants might be safe from damage in these carefully chosen locations. If you live in an area with a dense deer population, there may be no area that the creatures haven't explored.

5. Avoid scare devices.

Motion-activated misters and noise makers might be effective for a day or two, but deer quickly become accustomed to these devices and are no longer disturbed by them. Unless you are prepared to move these around daily to keep the deer guessing, don’t waste time and money on scare devices.

6. Don’t feed the deer.

Some homeowners attempt to feed deer grain in a remote part of their yard with the hope that the deer will not bother the landscape plants near the house. This is faulty logic. Feeding the deer attracts them to the landscape, where they grow comfortable and begin foraging wherever they please. Avoid giving deer any reason to visit your property if you want to keep your plants safe from browsing.

The article Do Deer Eat Mums?  6 Tips for Protecting Your Fall Flowers rom Damage originally appeared on BHG.com by Megan Hughes.