Do Deer Eat Marigolds? (5+ ways to keep them away)

Before I started growing marigolds, I was unaware that deer also loved them. But now I’m worried about the possibility of them being eaten by deer because where I live it’s common to have deer, so I took the time to learn how to protect my garden from these deer before planting marigolds. And guess what? I succeeded and now I’m enjoying my marigolds bloom.

I believe it’s important to share this knowledge rather than keeping it to myself, so I want to share with you the steps you can take if you’re also concerned about deer damaging your marigold. I think let’s not waste time and learn ways to protect marigolds.

Quick takeaways:

• Do deer eat marigolds? Yes, they do. They tend to eat the plants and vegetables from your garden only when they feel hungry.
• When they are too hungry, they leave nothing behind and spoil your whole vegetation. 
• They tend to either destroy them or eat them fully and you will get nothing in return.
• Deers can smell the fragrance of the marigolds and they get to fill their appetite.
• You have to be aware of some of the ways to get rid of the deer to protect your vegetation especially when it comes to marigolds.

Do deer eat marigolds? 

Being an ornamental plant, marigolds attain beautiful colors such as golden, orange, yellow, etc. they even need minimal care for their growth. They are a good source of nutrition.

They need to be watered regularly and even need to receive fertilizer which enhances their nutritional value. Marigolds contain vitamin C which makes them more valuable. 

But here the question is whether is it being eaten by the deer or not. Yes, deers like to eat marigolds. Though they do not like them very often, yes if they are too hungry.

But there is good news for you all as you can take some of the preventive measures for protecting the marigolds. 

Are Marigolds Deer Resistant?

It is required to think about whether marigolds are deer-resistant or not. Yes, they are deer-resistant because of their taste and fragrance which are not liked much by the deer. There is some bitter taste present in the marigolds which helps them in keeping the deer away from the marigolds. 

Deer tend to smell the strong scents of the marigold plants. They will eat them only if they feel too hungry.

When it is said they are resistant, then it doesn’t mean that marigolds are safe from them as they can be eaten by deer. So, it is necessary to take precautions before proceeding. 

5+ Ways to Keep deer Away from the marigolds 

Guys, marigolds are a beautiful addition to any garden so planting them is a gardener’s choice. If they plant the marigolds in a place where deer are abundant, then it would be difficult for the farmers to protect their marigolds from the deer. But you have to protect them with the help of the following ways: 

• Make sure you know Their Habits
• Make use of Mint scented deer spray 
• Grow plants they hate 
• You can Establish motion-detecting sprinklers
• You can use the deer netting 

1. Make sure you know Their Habits

When you notice the habits of the deer, then you can get to know them more. They are those feeders that attain a particular habit.

You have to notice when they eat the marigolds, if they eat them at the same time they have eaten before, then you can plot plans against them as it will be efficient for you to keep them away from your garden area.  

2. Make use of Mint scented deer spray 

It is a DIY spray that you can use to keep the deer away from your garden area.

It will be beneficial for you if you use the mint-scented deer spray so that you can help yourself in protecting your vegetation from the deer. 

3. Grow plants they hate 

The easy and affordable way out is to grow those plants in your garden that are not liked by the deer. If your area has abundant deer, then you should plant those plants that are loved by them.

Some of the plants that they hate are zinnia, rosemary, marigolds, etc. There are even herbs that are not favored by them so you can plant them too. 

4. You can Establish motion-detecting sprinklers

Being herbivore animals, they love to eat plants and vegetables. They swear whenever they hear any kind of loud noise near them.

They get scared by the sudden movements which make them feel nervous them. So it is best for you if you activate the motion-detecting sprinklers in your garden as it will not let the deer come to your area for his food. 

5. You can use the deer netting 

If you have used it earlier then it is great. It is one of the common ways to keep the deer away from the garden.

Putting a net around your garden or your plants will be the best option for you to protect them. Though it is tough to hide your plants with this netting, you can do this for their protection. 

Marigolds Between Deer Resistant and Deer Repellent:

There is a slide difference between deer assistant and deer repellent such as:

• When we talk about resistance it says most of the cases when the deer will not eat the plant.
• On the other hand, the repellent means they find the plant repugnant so stay away from it. 
• The marigold is a plant that acts like both means it is a plant that is not eaten by deer most of the time but the fragrance of the flower does put off the deer. The fragrance of very cold will act as a fragrance to the horned herbivore.
• You need to plant the Marigolds in larger quantities.

Natural Repellents:

For keeping the deer away from your garden, planting shrubs or herbs will help it. Some natural and successful repellent plants make the deer repel because of the pungent smell such as:

• Mint
• Thyme
• French tarragon
• Lavender
• Chives
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Bush Cinquefoil
• Japanese Spirea
• Juniper

Not all deer are considered the same just like the plants or people they do very much in taste. It means that you need to check which plant helps keep the deer away and which plant does attract them. 

Man-Made Repellents:

A man-made replant is also effective for keeping the deer away from the plants such as hanging wind Chimes. The sound produced by them will make them a little frightened. You can also use motion-activated sprinkles which is also a great way to keep the deer away from your yard as they are used to penetrate ultrasonic sound and make the deer to scare away. Using an ultrasonic repeller will keep away a variety of pests and animals.

Concluding lines 

In this guide, you come to know that marigolds attain beautiful colors such as golden, orange, yellow, etc. they even need minimal care for their growth. They are a good source of nutrition. They need to be watered regularly and even need to receive fertilizer which enhances their nutritional value.  Marigolds contain vitamin C which makes them more valuable. Read the whole article so that you come to know more about the ways out that can help gardeners to keep the deer away from the garden. 

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