Strawberry is a common type of fruit that is grown worldwide and known for its taste and attractive red color. It is also quite famous for its rich flavor which makes it popular among people. In today’s article, we will discuss if the deer eats strawberries.
Do deer eat strawberries?
Deer is an herbivorous animal that loves to eat herbs, plants, shrubs, vegetables as well as fruits. They will eat almost anything that comes their way. So, they love to eat strawberries due to their vast appetite. Generally, the deer will eat the fruits and the other parts of a strawberry plant.
Strawberry is a type of fruit that is grown worldwide and is famous for its rich color, taste, and flavor. It is used in a variety of dishes as well as a common ingredient for making juice and smoothies.
Generally, many people tend to grow strawberries in their garden due to their attractive red color. It is also preferred by many people to grow as an ornamental fruit in the garden.
But if you are living in a deer-infested area, it may be difficult for you to grow strawberries in the garden. Deer may invade your garden in search of food and cause damage to the strawberry plants and fruits by eating them.
The deer usually loves to eat the leaves, shrubs, or even the plants of strawberries. Below is a brief discussion on whether deer love to eat different parts of a strawberry plant or not:
Strawberry fruits:
Strawberry fruit is commonly preferred by deer due to its rich flavor and color. Generally, the deer loves to eat strawberries because of their taste and freshness. It also helps them to provide with essential nutrition that they require to grow up.
Strawberry plants and trees:
If you are living in a deer-infested area, deer may come to your garden and eat strawberries when in search of food. They love to eat plants to the ground if they are fresh. If they can reach the plant, they will eat them entirely.
Strawberry bush:
Deer prefer to eat strawberry bush because they get essential nutrition from the bush they require to grow. The strawberry bush consists of calcium and iron, which is important for them to grow up.
So, they will eat the strawberry bush without any hesitation.
Strawberry leaves:
Raw and tender strawberry leaves are preferred by the deer because they contain high-value vitamins and minerals which help the deer to improve their immune system as well as better digestion.
Do deer like strawberries and strawberry plants?
Yes, deer like to eat strawberries and strawberry plants. Generally, the deer gets attracted to strawberries due to their attractive color and freshness. Deer is a type of animal that gets attracted to any type of herbivorous food that comes their way.
They usually rely on grass, shrubs, herbs, plants as well as fruits and vegetables. That is why strawberries are also liked by them.
Moreover, it helps them to gain the strength that is required in their regular diet. That is why the deer likes to eat strawberry and strawberry plants when in search of food.
Are strawberry plants deer resistant?
No, strawberry plants are not considered deer resistant because they do not contain any compound or elements that will prevent the deer from getting close to the plant and the fruit.
Generally, the deer loves to eat every part of the strawberry plants and fruits because each of these contains a high amount of energy that is required for the daily diet of a deer.
Also, the taste and flavor of strawberries attract deer. In most cases, the deer tend to eat strawberry and strawberry plants because they are always fresh and ideal to eat. As a result, they will eat the strawberry plants when they are in search of food.
Are strawberries good for deer?
Yes, strawberries are highly preferred for their nutritional value. Strawberries contain vitamins that are required in a deer’s daily diet.
In addition to that, sometimes they eat strawberries because it contains high-value nutrition that is required for them to grow up.
Strawberries are a good source of antioxidants and vitamins which are required for deer to maintain their normal growth.
Generally, strawberries are rich in a different type of nutritional elements that include vitamins and minerals. In addition to that, it contains water compounds and antioxidants which are essential for the growth of a deer.
How to keep deer from eating strawberry plants?
Generally, deer easily get attracted to strawberry plants. The reason is that the red color of strawberries easily attracts the deer and they are always fresh and ready to eat.
In addition to that, strawberries are quite flavorful and tasty.
Deer tend to eat any fruit or vegetable that is tasty. It contains vitamin C, Manganese, Folate, and potassium. It is also rich in antioxidants and water compounds, which are helpful to improve the immune system, blood circulation, and blood sugar control.
The strawberries can be consumed raw and fresh. As a result, it is common for them to eat strawberries. In addition to that, strawberries are rich in nutritional value which makes them more attractive to the deer.
Because the nutrition that is required for a deer’s daily diet can be provided by having strawberries. It contains a high number of antioxidants and vitamins which helps to improve their immune system as well as the blood circulation system.
So, deer can come to your garden and eat the strawberries along with the strawberry plants when they are in search of food.
If you have strawberry plants in your garden while you are living in a deer-infested area, this will cause you serious trouble and your plants, as well as the garden, may get damaged.
So, you need to take some steps to prevent the deer from entering your garden. You can simply follow the tips below to keep the deer away from your garden and eating strawberries:
Fencing the garden:
Some of the very few techniques that gardeners use to prevent the deer from coming into the garden are to provide fences around the garden.
It is recommended to encircle the garden using a 48 to 60 inches high fence so that the deer cannot climb it and enter the garden. You can try using double fences as well.
Applying deer repellant:
Deer have a strong-smelling sense that they search for food. You can apply deer repellent such as egg white or smelling compound to sprinkle around the strawberry plant to keep the deer away from the garden.
Scarecrow technique:
Many people recommend using the scarecrow technique in their garden to save their plants from the deer invasion.
You can easily build a scarecrow and place it in the middle of the garden. This will scare the deer and keep them away from your garden.
Flower beds to block plants:
Plant some flower beds that spread a strong smell around the strawberry plants. Deer do not like a strong smell. So, they will not get closer to those flower beds and eat the strawberry plants easily.
Mass planting:
If any of the above ideas is difficult for you, go for mass planting. It is a highly effective solution to keep the deer away from your garden.
Too many trees and plants will not have any room for the deer to roam around the garden. As a result, it will prevent them from eating the strawberry plants.
Will strawberry plants recover from deer damage?
If you are living in a deer-infested area, your garden and strawberry plants may get invaded and get damaged. If you notice that the strawberry plants have been damaged by the deer, you do not need to worry about that.
The strawberry plants can regenerate. Since the strawberry plants are perennials, they usually go through harsh weather conditions and lose their leaves, but they can grow back.
So, if the strawberry plants are eaten by the deer, they will still grow back again.
What is eating my strawberry plants?
Strawberries contain a variety of nutritional materials. So, there could be many other things that can cause serious damage to your strawberry plants by eating the fruits and leaves.
They are attracted to strawberries due to their fresh flavor and attractive color. If this goes on, it will disrupt the growth of the strawberry plants and make the fruits inedible.
In most cases, the strawberry plants are seen getting damaged due to a variety of pests that includes slugs, strawberry bud weevils, tarnished plant bugs, spittlebugs, and strawberry sap bugs.
So, it is important to use pest repellent to prevent the pests from eating the strawberry plants.
Final Thoughts
Generally, the strawberry contains a variety of nutritional materials that includes vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. So, deer love to eat strawberries because it provides them with the energy and nutrition that is required for their regular diet. It also helps to improve their immune system.