Will Deer Eat Carpet Roses

Tender young buds and luscious new growth draw deer to the banquet of 150 rose bushes most came from heirloom roses surrounding the dunagan home but they don t eat.

Will deer eat carpet roses.

Supposedly the new growth tastes best to the deer but it is more likely that the deer prefer it because of the softness and the increased amount of nutrients in new growth. The answer to the question does deer eat roses is an obvious yes. Deer will eat the buds blooms foliage and even the thorny canes of rose bushes. The small five petaled flower clusters come in a wide range of colors including white pink blue lavender purple dark red yellow and bicolor.

You could go out and plant some of the coarse evergreen shrubbery that deer are known to avoid but you may find yourself just as disinterested in the garden as the deer if there are no flowers to enjoy. Deer tend to avoid some rugosa roses. Deer love to eat roses. This member of the hibiscus family produces medium green heart shaped leaves that don t tempt the palate of deer.

Even roses with terrible thorns have susceptible new growth before the thorns have had time to harden. They are especially fond of the new tender growth where the thorns are not so sharp and firm yet. Deer are herbivore so they re more into plants including those with fruits nuts and even fallen leaves. They find roses as a delectable food which can be a nightmare to gardeners.

Almost every gardener loves the scent of roses but for deer a rosebush smells like dinner. Verbenas will reward you with deer resistant blooms from spring until frost if trimmed back in midsummer learn more about shearing plants to encourage new blooms. New growth can be sprayed with an odor type deer repellent to make sure that deer don t browse at all on the roses. Flowers might be tasty to deer but for some reason deer avoid snacking on the rose of sharon shrub.

Rose of sharon also produces large petaled flowers in an array of colors ranging from white to pink to showy violet. Depending on the variety and your location growing zone flower carpet roses can serve as a colourful hedge growing between 2 4 feet tall. Create a colourful border hedge. We ve witnessed these animals mow down entire rose bushes in minutes.

In the spring when the first bit of green appears jon begins a weekly spray schedule of his special mixture. Deer usually do their browsing damage at night and occasionally you may see deer eating roses during the day. Start spraying in spring. Deer absolutely love these flowers and aren t a bit phased by their thorns.

Flower carpet roses can be planted around a pond to keep little ones from wondering in or in larger displays poolside.