If you live in an area where deer and rabbits have easy access to your garden where you have flowerbeds of Gerbera daisies and Zinnias, you would certainly be concerned to know if rabbits and deer munch on Gerbera daisies or zinnias too or not.
Then, to put an end to your skepticism concerning this issue, read ahead to learn the detailed rationales and solutions.
Do Rabbits And Deer Eat Gerbera Daisies?
Both rabbits and deer are attracted by the Gerbera daisy’s sprouts and tender stems, so both of them eat Gerbera daisies. In fact, both rabbits and deer chomp on the Gerbera daisy plants until there is nothing but stubs are left. Deer like to munch on Gerbera daisy blooms and foliage the most.
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Rabbits and deer are considered as the most problematic animals when it comes down to eating Gerbera daisies because both of them absolutely like to munch on Gerbera daisies.
The Gerbera daisy plant’s flowers and tender stems highly entice both the rabbits and deer. Thereby, rabbits and deer not only will keep eating Gerbera daisies until only the stubs are left behind but also will decimate an entire flowerbed within a few hours.
Mainly deer are the ones that prefer eating Gerbera daisy buds and foliage more than rabbits. Therefore, Gerbera daisies can harshly be demolished by deer as deer will eat up everything except for the bare stems sticking out of the ground.
Do Deer Like Eating Gerbera Daisies?
Deer not only prefer to eat Gerbera daisies but they are also the ones that are prone to munch on Gerbera daisy flowers and foliage the most.
If deer can invade a garden with Gerbera daisy flowerbed, overnight they can decimate the entire flower bed by eating up all Gerbera daisy plants. And the garden will be left with only Gerbera daisy plant stubs.
Deer prefer to devour on Gerbera daisies in springtime as that time lush green new Gerbera daisy growth emerges with soft stems. And deer tend to be hungry after long wintertime, so they love eating Gerbera daisies at that time.
What Is Eating My Gerbera Daisy Flowers?
This section has included the names and short descriptions of the most common culprits that probably are having a feast by eating your favorite Gerbera daisy flowers.
Sap-Sucking Insects:
Sap-sucking insects include spider mites, aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. All of these insects are the most problematic insects that penetrate the soft and edible spots of Gerbera daisies with mouths and pull the Gerbera daisy sap out of the flowers.
Root-Eating Insects:
Root-eating insects include nematodes and microscopic parasites. These pests belowground form galls on the Gerbera daisy roots which make the plant unable to suck in foods and water from the ground.
And aboveground make the wilt and vigor less. Thereby, the Gerbera plant loses its life eventually.
Leaf-Eating Insects:
The most common leaf-eating insects are caterpillars, leaf miners, and cutworms that live by eating flowers like Gerbera daisies.
Leaf miners lay eggs on the foliage of Gerbera daisies. When eggs are hatched, larva bores in leaves by munching channels through the tissue of the plant and infests it, thence, the plant loses its life.
Caterpillar and cutworms also are raised on Gerbera daisies by eating them in the same way.
Deer And Rabbits:
Deer and rabbits also like to have a feast by devouring the Gerbera daisy flowers and soft, edible stems until only the protruding stubs are left on the flowerbeds.
How Do I Keep Rabbits And Deer From Eating My Gerbera Daisies?
4 ways to stave off rabbits and deer from munching on your Gerbera daisies have been included below.
Fence:
Build a fence by using mesh chicken wires that have 1 inch or less wide holes so that it can keep rabbits and deer away from squeezing through. The fence must be taller than 2 feet or more and at least 6 inches should stay deeper in the ground.
Plant Deer/Rabbit-Resistant Flowers/Herbs:
You can plant deer-resistant flowers like daffodils, poppies, and foxgloves in between the Gerbera daisy plant because these flowers are toxic to deer so they will just avoid going to the Gerbera daisy flowerbeds.
Herbs such as sages and flowers like peonies and lavender ate stinky to rabbits so they will also avoid eating Gerbera daisies if you plant these herbs and flowers in the same flowerbed.
Loud Noise:
To stave off deer and rabbits, you can make a loud noise using a horn because loud noise will scare the deer and rabbits and they will run away from the area around your Gerbera daisy plant.
Taste-Based Repellents:
Apply cayenne pepper spray on the exposed areas of your Gerbera daisies. When rabbits or deer will bite on the flowers or stems, they instantly will be repelled by such bitter spiciness, therefore, will not try to eat again.
Do Rabbits And Deer Eat Zinnia?
Zinnias are both deer and rabbits-resistant flowers, so both rabbits and deer tend not to eat zinnias. Rabbits absolutely deter eating Zinnia elegans and Zinnia angustifolia. However, deer occasionally can munch on zinnia flowers only if deer can’t get something more palatable food sources to eat.
Among all of the flower plants that both the deer and rabbits totally deter consuming, Zinnias are one of the deer and rabbits-resistant flower plants. This means, it’s very unlikely for both deer and rabbits to munch on zinnias.
The annual Common zinnias which are also known by their scientific name Zinnia elegans, and the lower-growing creeping zinnias also known as Zinnia angustifolia (scientific name) are the most rabbit-resistant zinnia species. Rabbits just avoid eating them.
But sometimes deer may munch on zinnias, especially the tender buds if they can’t seem to find any other palatable plant for eating.
Do Zinnias Keep Rabbit Away?
Typically, zinnias are most likely to keep rabbits away from eating zinnias and destroying zinnias flowerbeds, especially if it’s the annual Common zinnias and low-growing creeping zinnias.
It’s because these two varieties of zinnias are the most rabbit-resistant ones among all.
However, as rabbits can munch on anything they find so occasionally they might bite on the foliage of zinnias. Particularly the baby rabbits.
Do Zinnias Keep Deer Away?
Zinnias are deer-proof as well, therefore, all most all varieties of zinnias will keep deer away from damaging the plants and eating them.
Besides, deer are not so fond of munching on zinnias, so they will stay away from the zinnias on their own unless they don’t get to eat some other more delicious plants.
What Is Eating My Zinnias?
The most probable culprits that can eat your zinnias have been identified and explained below.
Aphids:
Aphids, particularly the Black Bean aphids are the most probable culprits that are sustaining on your zinnias, mainly the leaves.
Aphids are sap-sucking insects and they eat zinnias by sucking out the juice of the plant by penetrating holes in the stalks and leaves.
European Earwig:
Starting from the summer to fall season, European Earwigs keep eating zinnias by boring holes in the leaves and blooms and sucking the juice from these areas.
Slugs And Snails:
Slugs and snails, both of them are feed on zinnias along with their large hungry family. Both slugs and snails lay eggs and hatch them on zinnias and quickly chew on leaves and flowers with the family which also damages the plant.
Japanese Beetles:
Japanese beetles strike both the leaves and flowers. They reserve in the flowers and keep eating them along with the leaves until leaves look skeleton-like.
Rabbits And Deer:
Occasionally, rabbits and deer can eat your zinnias.
How To Keep Rabbits And Deer Away From Zinnias?
You can try out these 5 ways to keep rabbits and deer away from zinnias.
Fence:
Build at least 2 feet or higher, fence around your garden using wooden fence or electric fencing wires. And the fences should be buried 6 inches deeper in the ground.
Powdered For Urine Or Blood Meal:
To stave off rabbits, you can spread powdered fox urine or blood meal near the zinnia foliage, rabbits will not go near the plants anymore.
Repellents:
Apply either taste-based repellents such as pepper spray or plant plants like chives or lavender or sage as an odor-based repellent, both will work to keep away deer and rabbits.
What Smells Do Rabbit Dislike?
Here’s a list of smells that rabbits absolutely scorn.
- Predator musk
- Urine
- Blood smell
- Granulated red pepper
- Vinegar
- Garlic
- Ammonia
- Chives
- Lavender
- Wax begonias
What Smells Do Deer Dislike?
A list of smells that deer dislike is included below for your convenience.
- Marigolds
- Putrescent egg solids
- Mint
- Tansy
- Wolf urine
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Lavender
Final Thoughts
Rabbits and deer will surely enjoy munching on the soft and young stems and vines of Gerbera daisies. However, both rabbits and deer don’t prefer eating zinnias, so unless the rabbit is a young one or the deer can’t find any other food, rabbits and deer will not eat zinnias.