Gardening is an activity that requires commitment, hard labor, and patience. There is no more discouraging or disheartening sight for a gardener than seeing all of their hard work ruined overnight.
It has become rather typical for wild animals such as deer, rabbits, and chipmunks to consume the plants and vegetables you have been nurturing for a long time. Animals have also destroyed flowers such as morning glory, which was intended to be a safe plant to cultivate.
So, what’s the answer to keeping wild animals away from your treasured plants? Let’s take a look and see what we can come up with.
Do deer eat morning glories?
Morning glories are seldom approached or eaten by deer and other animals due to their poisonous seed. Many insects and animals, including deer, have learned to ignore the seed in favor of eating the flower buds and branches. Deer can be deterred by planting thorn bushes or perennial plants.
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Morning glories are noted for their stunning beauty and vibrant color, but the seeds are horribly toxic, almost similar to LSD, so most birds and animals avoid this plant as much as possible.
However, things are changing, as a consequence of rapid urbanization and drastic changes in weather, animals’ food sources are diminishing, causing them to become restless and desperate enough to go beyond the norms to survive.
Birds, bugs, and animals have figured out a peculiar way to avoid the toxic seeds and consume the flower buds, branches and leaves. If you live near woods or there are wild herbivorous animals like deer, rabbits, etc have access to your morning glories they will certainly eat these.
Dwarf morning glory:
This flower plant blooms in the early summer till winter. It does have a slightly pungent odor which keeps the deer away but in desperate times the deer will certainly eat it.
Are morning glories deer resistant?
Deers and other herbivorous animals used to avoid morning glory due to the poisonous seeds. However, due to the reduction of greeneries and massive deforestation, the animals are desperate to try anything to survive.
Herbivorous animals such as deer and rabbits are devouring plants that they did not originally consume.
The slightly pungent smell of the morning glories used to keep the deer at bay but throughout the year deers and other animals have learned to resist the odour and avoid the toxic seeds, and only consume the flower buds and leaves.
So morning glories are no longer deer resistant. Although if there are plenty of other wild plants and grass to eat around the surrounding area, the deers wouldn’t be interested in the morning glories anymore.
How to keep deer from eating morning glories?
The following ways can keep deer from eating morning glories –
Install fence:
If you are searching for ways to keep deer from eating morning glories then just casually installing a fence might not be a suitable solution for the problem. A normal fence won’t keep the deer at bay as they are known for their ability to jump pretty high.
So you will need to install a fence with at least 7 to 8 feet height. You should use wire instead of wood for the fence.
You can easily attach a hot wire, battery, or any kind of electric source and electrify the fence, it will keep all kinds of wild animals from entering your garden.
Make sure the electric flow is just enough to give a slight bit of shock and nothing more, otherwise it might be dangerous for your pet and children.
Keep a guard dog:
If you are living near woods or someplace where wild animals are a matter of headache for your garden then having a guard dog is gonna be your best bet.
Dogs tend to mark their surroundings with their body fluids or urine and it has a strong odor that fends off many wild animals. Having a guard dog breed in your home will surely keep the deer and other herbivorous animals away.
Sometimes guard dogs go against bears, wolves, and coyotes to defend their master and territories. So it’s without any doubt that you won’t regret having a brave companion to rely on.
Spread some hair around:
Wild animals get spooked in the presence of humans. Animals think their interaction with humans may result in life loss as they have witnessed cruelty.
As the scarecrow fends away birds almost similarly the scent of humans will spook the deer. You can spread some of your fallen hair around the garden. Deer and other wild animals will be frightened of the scent and will stay away from the garden.
plant thorn bush and perennials:
planting thorn bush and perennial plants with a strong odour will make the deer feel less interested to come near your morning glories.
Hang a soap bar:
soap bars are made of fat, glycerine, and chemicals for fragrance and deers dislike the smell.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly which element of soap irritates the deers so much but it’s effective to keep them away so you can hang some soap bars around the morning glory plants.
What repels deer from eating plants?
The following components can repel deer from eating plants –
Toxicity:
A deer or any herbivorous animal will stay away if the plant’s leaf, fruit, flowers are toxic or cause indigestion, taste bitter, and produce irritations in the mouth and skin.
These are the red flags and you can use this to your advantage. You can plant such plants around your garden, these will create a sense of danger in animals and will avoid getting near.
herbs and spices:
Deers have a high sense of taste and smell, so the spices we use in our food can be put to good use.
Humans are used to the spicy sensation in the tongue from hot pepper, garlic, and other herbs and spices. Sprinkling spices onto the flowers and leaves can certainly keep deer at bay.
Sense of danger:
Deers can smell the scent of predators and keep their distance in the wild. The smell of wolves or dogs urine will create an atmosphere unfavorable for deers. The sense of danger and the need for survival will keep deers on the run.
What animals eat morning glories?
You can say the flower buds and leaves of the vibrant morning glories are the bucket list for many bugs and animals. Food shortages have made them try their luck on a plant with poisonous seeds.
Generally, herbivorous animals such as deer, rabbits, chipmunks, and woodchucks eat morning glories. If you talk about bugs then the caterpillar, beetles, and slugs eat morning glories.
What flowers do deer not eat?
Deer avoid flowers with strong odor such as lavender, daffodil, sage, foxglove, periwinkle, corydalis.
Final Thoughts
Because of the harmful seed, morning glories are rarely harmed by deer. They may consume the flower buds and leaves if there isn’t enough food. They’ve figured out how to stay away from the seeds over time. Deer will stay away if thorn bushes or perennials with a strong odor are present around.