Do deer eat asters? The answer is Yes, deer do enjoy eating asters. In fact, they will consume the blooms, leaves, and stems of the plant.
Asters are a favorite food source for deer because they are high in nutrients and low in toxicity.
This means that deer can eat them without fear of becoming sick.
Deer typically consume asters during the late summer and fall when other food sources are becoming scarce.
During this time, asters can provide them with much-needed sustenance to help them survive the winter.
Deer will also eat asters if they are available year-round.
Reasons Why Deer Eat Asters Plant
1. Deer eat asters for their nutritional value
Asters are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. They also contain small amounts of minerals like potassium, magnesium, and zinc. All of these nutrients are beneficial for deer and help them stay healthy.
2. Deer eat asters to help them digest their food
The high levels of dietary fiber in asters help the deer’s digestive system function properly. This is important since they consume a lot of vegetation that can be difficult to digest.
3. Deer eat asters to get rid of parasites
Aster plants contain compounds that help kill internal parasites in deer. This is an important benefit since parasites can cause serious health problems in deer.
4. Deer eat asters to improve their vision
The antioxidants in asters help protect the deer’s eyes from damage caused by sunlight. This is important since deer need good vision to survive in the wild.
5. Deer eat asters to keep their skin healthy
The vitamin C in asters helps the deerskin stay healthy and look good. This is important since the deer are constantly exposed to the elements.
6. Deer eat asters to prevent infection
The antibacterial and antiviral properties of asters help fight off infection in deer. This is important since they are susceptible to many diseases.
7. Deer eat asters for their medicinal value
Asters have been used for centuries to treat a variety of medical conditions in deer. The most common use is to help control inflammation.
8. Deer eat asters to regulate their body temperature
The high levels of antioxidants in asters help the deer dissipate heat and stay cool during the hot summer months. This is important since deer are not as efficient at cooling themselves off as other animals.
9. Deer eat asters to increase their reproductive success
The minerals and vitamins present in asters are essential for healthy reproduction in deer. This is important since deer populations need to be replenished regularly.
10. Deer eat asters to improve their overall health
The many nutrients present in asters help deer stay healthy and strong. This is important since they are constantly exposed to threats in the wild.
11. Deer eat asters to improve their mental health
Asters contain compounds that have been shown to improve mental health in deer. This is important since they are prey animals and need to be able to think clearly to avoid danger.
12. Deer eat asters because they enjoy the taste
Asters have a mild, sweet flavor that deer enjoy eating. This is an important factor since deer need to consume a lot of food each day to survive.
13. Deer eat asters because it is instinctual for them
Deer have been eating asters for generations and it is instinctual for them to do so. This is important since they rely on their instincts to survive in the wild.
Different Ways to Prevent Deer From Asters
1. Plant a fence around your garden
A sturdy fence will help keep deer away from your plants. Make sure the fence is at least six feet high and that it extends into the ground to prevent deer from jumping over it.
2. Use deterrents
There are a number of deterrents you can use to keep deer from eating your plants, including:
- Hanging aluminum foil or plastic bags filled with water (or using other objects that make noise)
- Spraying plants with smell repellents such as citrus, peppermint, or ammonia
- Placing human hair around plants (deer are afraid of people smell)
3. Raise your garden beds
If you have a garden, consider raising your garden beds so that deer cannot reach the plants. This is a particularly effective solution if you live in an area with a lot of deer.
4. Use plants that deer don’t like
There are a number of plants that deer do not like to eat, including foxglove, lavender, lily of the valley, and rue. Plant these plants around your garden to help keep deer away.
5. Plant thorny bushes around your garden
Deer do not like to walk through thorny bushes, so planting thorny bushes around your garden will help keep them away. Some good options include blackberry bushes, raspberry bushes, and barberry shrubs.
6. Add decoy deer
Deer are less likely to eat your plants if they think there is a predator around. To take advantage of this principle, you could add decoy deer in your garden. Another option is to hang up dried blood near your garden; the smell will scare off the deer.
7. Add fox urine or other animal urine deterrents
Fox urine can be bought from hunting supply stores or online retailers and makes an effective deer repellent because it mimics the smell of a fox’s natural predator (an angry fox).
Other types of animal urine such as coyote, bobcat, wolf, and bear also work well as repellents since they mimic the smells that natural predators leave behind on plants that they have eaten.
8. Bury human hair
Another way to prevent deer from eating plants is to bury bags of human hair around your garden or beneath the plants that you want to protect.
If using this method, be sure that the hair is 100% untreated and unbleached. It’s also a good idea to add in some animal urine for extra deterring power.
9. Plant flowers such as marigolds near vegetables
Planting marigolds near certain types of vegetables may help keep deer away from those particular vegetables because the marigolds’ smell will confuse and repel deer who may associate this smell with danger (since many animals eat marigolds).
Some examples of vegetables that benefit from being planted near marigolds are tomatoes, corn, and carrots.
10. Plant garlic or other strong-smelling plants near your vegetables
Garlic is another plant that deer do not like to eat due to its strong smell. For best results, replace regular flowers with garlic flowers (these are usually white in color) when you plant them near your vegetables.
11. Use anti-deer netting on young or small plants
Netting your smaller or younger plants will help keep deer away from them until they get bigger and stronger enough to withstand the attention of hungry deer.
The type of netting you use should be both large enough for you to fit your hand inside (to harvest the vegetables), and too small for the deer to fit their heads through.
12. Try using a motion-activated sprinkler
If you’re having trouble with deer eating your plants, you could try using a motion-activated sprinkler.
These gadgets work by sensing when there is movement in the area and then automatically spraying water at the intruder (in this case, the deer). While an expensive option, they are very effective in keeping deer away from your plants.
13. Use electric fencing
Electric fencing is a more extreme measure that can be used to keep deer away from your garden. The fence works by delivering a shock to the animal when it touches the wire, which will hopefully scare them off and prevent them from coming back.
It’s important to note that electric fencing is not a good option if you have small children because they may get hurt. Electric fencing also doesn’t work well in areas where deer are used to being around humans, so using this method in your backyard or other public area isn’t likely to be very effective.
14. Try using motion-activated sprinklers
Another tactic for keeping deer away from your yard is to use motion-activated sprinklers. These devices sense when movement is happening nearby and then automatically spray the intruder with water while making a loud noise at the same time.
They are pricey but can provide an extra deterrent, especially during seasons when deer typically venture into yards (such as autumn). Alternatively, you could try spraying coyote urine near your plants instead of using sprinklers.
15. Use mothballs
Using mothballs can help prevent deer from eating your ornamental plants including perennials, hostas, daylilies, and other types of flowers that deer like to eat.
You should scatter the mothballs around the perimeter of your yard or garden to act as a protective barrier against hungry deer who may pass by and be tempted to take a bite out of your freshly-planted veggies.
Remember that this method will kill any plant it comes in contact with so avoid placing them near any edible plants you want to keep around.
16. Spray egg whites on plants
If you have an egg allergy, then skip this tip since egg whites are used in it. If you don’t have concerns with eating eggs, then try spraying egg whites onto your plants as a natural deer repellent.
Alternatively, you can buy commercial products that are made from egg whites which are effective at keeping deer away from your garden because they smell similar to predators (they’ll typically run off when they smell the egg whites).
17. Adjust the PH of the soil
Deer typically does not like eating vegetables or flowers that have an acidity level below 5.5, which means you could change the pH of certain parts of your yard to make it less appealing to hungry deer looking for something good to eat by planting these types of plants in those areas instead.
Keep in mind that changing the may take some time before you see a difference in the types of plants being eaten by deer.
18. Plant thorny bushes around your yard
One way to deter deer from entering your property is to plant thorny bushes around the perimeter. This will make it difficult for them to walk through and get to the plants they are looking to eat.
If you have a large area to cover, you can also try using an electric fence as well (mentioned earlier).
19. Try using a commercial deer repellent
There are many commercially available deer repellents on the market that can be effective at keeping these animals away from your garden or yard.
Some of these repellents work by emitting a scent that deer don’t like, while others make use of ingredients that cause the taste of vegetables to be less appealing.
Before applying any type of deer repellent, make sure you read the directions carefully and follow them exactly because some won’t be effective if not applied properly.
20. Use natural sprays
One option for protecting your yard is to mix together your own natural sprays at home. Some ingredients you can use include eggs (mentioned earlier), cayenne pepper, hot sauce, onion or garlic juice, red chili peppers, or even soap mixed with water.
To increase their effectiveness, combine multiple ingredients together in order to create a strong-smelling concoction that will repel deer effectively without doing too much damage to other plants in your garden.
Just remember before using this type of spray that you test it out on a small patch of plants first to make sure that it won’t harm them.
Conclusion
If you have an aster plant in your garden, there is a good chance that deer will eat it if given the opportunity.
It is important to keep deer away from your garden so that your plants can thrive and bloom all summer long. One way you can do this is by installing a fence around your garden to prevent deer from getting in.
