Are Petunias Deer Resistant? – Find Out Here.

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Last Updated on December 9, 2022 by Guillermina

Petunias are absolutely stunning flowers that any flower lover would be proud to have in their garden. They are however also attractive to animals that eat them. In this article we will find out, are petunias deer resistant?

About Petunia Flowers

Petunia is a flowering genus consisting of about 20 species. The flowers are perennial originating from South America, and are found in many gardens as hybrids. These flowers come in many different colors, shapes, sizes and architecture, and can transform any garden or space where they are planted into a colorful paradise.

The scent of some species of petunias (The Maya and Inca) are believed to have the power to get rid of the spirits of monsters from the underworld.

Unfortunately, these flowers do not have the power to wand off animals that are extremely destructive to them.

Animals That Eat Petunia

A beautiful petunia flower in the garden is not only attractive (for its beauty) to people who can look at and admire it. It also attracts animals that like to snack on it.

Petunias are a delicacy for many different creatures such as bugs like caterpillars, slugs, aphids, snails and various worms. They are also gnawed at by different animals such as rabbits, chickens, squirrels, mice, deer, and mules.

Deers in particular can be a problem as they will munch on your flowers, destroying them.

Do Deer Eat Petunias?

Petunias unfortunately are not resistant to deer. Deer love these soft succulent plants and will devour them as soon as they spot them

Do Deer Eat Petunia Flowers?

Petunias will emerge from spring and deer will eat the whole plant, together with the blooms if there are any present.

Are Petunias Deer And Rabbit Resistant?

No they are not. Sadly, both deer and rabbits love eating petunia and if you have them present in the vicinity of your garden, these animals will help themselves to your plants. But do not stress, not all hope is lost. There are remedies and measures you can put in place to protect your beautiful plants.

How To Stop Deer From Eating My Flowers

Regardless of what animal is eating your petunias, there are things you can do to stop them. Here are some of the measures;

• Place chicken wire or some other mesh around your petunia plan. And depending on the culprit you will have identified, cut it to a height that will prevent the animal from getting to them.
• Remove all the weeds or bushes around your petunias where the plants that eat them could possibly find a place to hide. This way, they will be exposed and that may deter them from coming to your plants.
• Sprinkle spices such as chili powder or cayenne pepper. Rabbits and deer do not like the spicy taste and will therefore stop eating your petunias.
• Spray a mixture of blended egg and water around the perimeter of the petunias. The bad smell will keep deer, rabbits and other animals away from them.
• Plant deer-resistant plants around your petunias. Deer do not like plants with hairy or fuzzy textures and these can irritate their tongues. Be careful of the plants that you choose however, you do not want them to compete for nutrients with the petunia plants, ultimately compromising their growth and health.
• This next point is something you will have to consider before planting the next crop of petunias, as it does not address a current problem but is more of a preventative measure. If you do not have to plant the petunias on the ground, it would be wise to plant them in baskets and hang them in places where the animals would not be able to reach them.

What If You Are Not Sure What Is Eating Your Petunias?

The measures to keep animals away from your petunias that have been described above also depend on the animal in question. So what happens if you are not sure what the animal is?

To help solve this problem, you could install a camera with motion sensors. Get one that can also take pictures or videos so it can keep evidence of the petunia munchers. You may not be able to see the animals during the day because they like to be sneaky and may only come at night. A camera would definitely help you solve this mystery.

Conclusion – Are Petunias Deer Resistant?

Unfortunately, you are not the only one who enjoys your pretty petunias, although for different reasons. Animals large and small also want to enjoy them even though they did not put in the work in growing and maintaining them. You will need to put measures in place to protect your flowers.

You can purchase materials such as fencing, mesh, bird netting or chicken mesh to protect your plants. There are also DIY remedies that you can use to ward off animals such as deer. These are not as much of a permanent solution as putting up a fence. You may need to keep re-applying them. The danger with these do it yourself remedies such as sprinkling chili, cayenne pepper, garlic or other products around the plant may risk damaging the petunia itself, or other plants around it.

Putting products in the soil may also affect the soil quality and fertility which may compromise future crops that you would like to plant in that soil.

There are various methods you can use to keep deer from eating and destroying the lovely petunias that you put a lot of time and effort into growing and maintaining. Choose the method that will best suit you. DO careful research and consider the pros and cons of each method.

We hope this article gave you all the information and knowledge you needed to answer the question, are petunias deer resistant? We believe that you will now go and confidently deal with this problem, with guaranteed success.

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