Do Deer Eat Roses? Tips For Protecting Your Garden

If a mysterious creature has been visiting your garden and turning it into an all-you-can-eat buffet, you may be asking yourself: Do deer eat roses?

The short answer is yes.

Us gardeners work hard to maintain a healthy, lush, productive plant, and unfortunately, that can attract deer to sample your rose plants.

In this article, we’ll be discussing why deer eat roses and multiple ways that you can deter them from turning your roses into their next meal.

Why Do Deer Eat Roses?

There are multiple reasons as to why deer eat roses, some are more simple than others.

Here are some of the primary reasons deer eat roses.

• Increased urbanization

This is especially common in suburban areas where a large deer habitat once was.

Urbanization has caused a reduction in deer habitats and natural food sources.

Deer are adaptable creatures who make the best of their situation. This ability leads to them finding food sources in other places.

• Lack of natural predators

In both rural and urban environments, the insufficient presence of natural predators can lead to an inability to effectively control the deer population.

Consequently, deer may resort to over-consuming their natural food sources, eventually shifting their focus to our gardens.

• They enjoy roses

This answer is quite simple, but it is the most straightforward.

Deer find rose bushes (especially ones that are healthy, and well-cared for) to be delicious and they have acquired a taste for them with increased urbanization.

They will eat any part of the rose, the flower stems, and the leaves. Even the thorny canes are fair game to them.

Evidence Of Deer Eating Roses

If you have suspicions that deer may be eating your roses, you may want to collect evidence before coming to a conclusion.

Let’s explore how you can confirm your suspicions.

• Damaged plants

If you’ve woken up to damaged rose plants, then deer may be the culprit.

Deer eat every part of the rose plant, so there might be complete sections of the plant that have gone missing.

Additionally, the deer may leave behind evidence that they were feasting on your roses.

Check the damaged plants for any gnawed canes or nibbled leaves.

• Witnessing them

The most blatant evidence of deer eating roses is by catching them in the act. 

For the most part, deer come out at night to feed on your rose bushes.

However, it is not unheard of for some deer to eat roses in the daytime as well.

Try and set up a camera overnight in your garden.

How To Keep Deer Away From Roses

There are multiple ways one can keep deer away from their roses.

Here is a list of some deterrents that we will discuss further.

• Scent-Masking: One of the qualities that attract deer to roses is their scent. By covering up the scent of roses with something unpleasant, you can significantly reduce your chances of deer eating your plants. This can be done with a homemade spray or by planting strong-smelling plants that repel deer.

• Fences: Installing a physical barrier is one of the most effective ways to keep deer out of your garden.

• Motion-Activated Devices: Devices such as sprinklers, lights, and alarms can startle deer and discourage them from approaching your garden.

5 Homemade Deer Repellents For Roses (+Recipes)

The key to making an effective DIY deer repellent is making a concoction that deer will find intolerable.

Deer are very sensitive to scent, so many of these recipes include strong-scented ingredients such as eggs, hot pepper, garlic, and more.

Spray 1

• 3 Tablespoons of hot sauce
• 3 raw whole eggs
• 3 Tablespoons of minced garlic

Blend all of the ingredients at once.

Add some water to thin it out.

Combine the mixture with a gallon of water and transfer it into a spray bottle.

Spray 2

• 4 Tablespoons of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup of white distilled vinegar
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of ammonia
• 3 heads of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup of oil-based soap

Mix the cayenne and vinegar together and boil the mixture for 1 minute.

Once boiled, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth, then blend it with garlic and water.

After blending, strain it once more, and then mix the resulting solution with ammonia and soap.

Dilute the mixture in 2 1/2 gallons of water. Transfer to a spray bottle and spray around the roses.

Spray 3

• 1 cup of white distilled vinegar
• 6 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 4 drops of rosemary essential oil

Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to combine.

Spray this mixture around your roses.

Spray 4

• 1 raw whole egg
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of dish soap
• 1 tablespoon of oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until combined.

Dilute the mixture with 1 gallon of water and pour it into a spray bottle.

Spray 5

• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon of dish soap
• 2 whole raw eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon of oil
• 20 drops of clove oil

Blend these ingredients until combined.

Dilute the mixture in 1 gallon of water and transfer it into a spray bottle.

How To Create A Deer-Resistant Perennial Buffer

Creating a perennial buffer around your roses can be an effective way to discourage deer and protect your roses.

An effective buffer will consist of plants that deer are less likely to eat, creating a barrier that deters them from reaching your roses.

What Flowers Do Deer Not Eat?

Some examples of plants to use in a perennial buffer include:

• Lavender
• Sage
• Columbine
• Bleeding Heart
• Astilbe
• Dusty Miller
• Marigolds

The goal in making a perennial buffer is to use plants that have a strong scent, or unpleasant texture/taste.

This will be a deterrent for deer and discourage them from targeting your garden.

How To Create Deer Cages For Roses

A deer cage is a physical barrier that prevents deer from accessing your plants.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make a deer cage for your roses:

What You’ll Need

• Wood or metal stakes
• Wire mesh or deer netting
• Zip ties or wire
• Staple gun
• Hammer
• Pliers
• Wire cutters

Steps

Physical Barriers To Keep Deer Away From Roses

Fencing

Installing a tall and sturdy fence around your rose garden is one of the most reliable methods to keep deer out. Deer are capable of jumping over a short fence, so be sure that the fence is at least 8 feet tall.

Electric Fencing

If you want to take the fence to an extra step, you may want to invest in electric fences. The electric shock that occurs when deer come in contact will deter the deer.

Hedges

If you are not interested in a fence, then hedges provide a more aesthetically pleasing barrier from deer. Similar to fences, it is important that the hedges are tall and thick enough to deter the deer from breaching the barrier.

Devices To Keep Deer Away From Roses

Motion-Activated Sprinklers

These devices are equipped with motion sensors that detect movement and then release a burst of water. The sudden spray of water startles the deer and discourages them from entering the garden.

Motion-Activated Lights

Installing a motion-activated light that flashes when movement is detected can help startle deer and discourage them from going near your roses.

Ultrasonic Alarm

Ultrasonic deer alarms emit high-frequency sounds that are unpleasant to deer. The frequency that these alarms emit is often undetectable by humans, so you will not be disrupted by the alarm at night.

Deer Resistant Roses

While no plant can be considered completely deer-proof, some rose varieties have shown to be more deer-resistant due to their characteristics that deer find unpleasant.

The most notable example is the rugosa roses, which are notable for their strong clove scent.

Deer find the clove scent to be extremely unpleasant and are unlikely to approach this plant.

Additionally, their leaves tend to be tough and leathery.

Conclusion

Do deer eat roses? Sadly, the answer is yes.

Having lush, healthy rose plants makes your garden a target for deer, especially if you live in a location with a high deer population.

However, that does not mean that you have to live in fear of your rose plants turning into a deer buffet.

With some simple changes, you can fend off any hungry deer from your garden.

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Related Post:

• Rose Pests And Control Measures