Will deer eat tomato or string bean plants before fruiting?

allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 842

I am expanding my garden due to the recent deteriorating economy and PO issues. My main garden is fenced and not an issue. I don't time to build a fence right now around my new expansion for a month or so.

If I pant tomatoes or sting beans will deer eat the plants before they produce fruit?

What other crops are deer safe before producing their crop?

Thanks

Pops

Now here is a weired lesson I learned about hot peppers and deer.

We lived in the Sierra foothills and planted a row of peppers. we had a tall fence but the buggers got in anyway. They mowed the tops of the fairly tall peppers down to about 20 inches I guess.

Every branch they bit back fruited like nothing I've ever seen, I've always pruned the tops of my peppers since.
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allenwrench · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 23, 2008 Posts: 842

WisJim

Deer will keep the beans mowed down to the ground if you don't protect them, if you have lots of deer. I would swear that the momma deer bring the fawns to our garden to teach them what beans are. They don't seem to bother our tomatoes, or much else in the garden other than lettuce, except that they run through the garden and knock stuff over and trample plants. But deer seem to behave differently in different areas, and prefer different crops.

Ludi

The deer (Whitetail and Axis) here (Central Texas) will mow down virtually anything they can reach. We are very overpopulated with deer.

I fence everything I don't want eaten.
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Pops

smallpoxgirl · Moderator Joined: Nov 08, 2004 Posts: 5647

joeltrout · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 1317

Consider deer eating your veggies a good thing. My brother specifically plants crops that attract deer and elk on our land so that we can use them for food in the future.

I would plant clover and let the deer go wild and once every few months take a deer for food.

joeltrout

Pops

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1504

We haven't had a problem with deer eating our beans, since there are so many fields of soybeans that they prefer. The cost of crop loss to deer is high, due to overpopulation.
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topcat

Last year was our worst ever regarding deer damage. I trellis our tomatoes, some getting up +4'. The deer went in and mowed off the tops every so often.

To make matters worse, once the plants started producing, they ate almost ripe tomatoes. A first for us!

Tried hanging tin pans with washers attached by fishing line (for noise) around the entire 12,000 cf plot but to no avail.

Am looking at picking up some of those garlic dispensers and giving them a try this year.
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Ludi

SpringCreekFarm · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 882

You know, it's funny, but I've never had a problem with deer or rabbits bothering my garden. I don't have a fence around it either. I've always wondered why that is but I cannot understand it. It's not for lack of deer and rabbits either.

When I cut hay next to the garden rabbits are everywhere and yet I don't see any damage. I never see deer near the house and barn so perhaps they are just timid that way. I do have a crap load of deer in the woods but none come up to bother my garden. Must be crap luck I guess.

I did have a problem with a raccoon eating some corn last year, come to think of it but it was only one time on one plant.

joeltrout · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 1317

Ludi