Do deer eat zinnia?

I grow a lot of zinnias here in a rural environment, and have never had deer damage, despite the fact that deer are fairly numerous in this area. We have a lot of uncultivated areas, including around creeks and ponds, and there are many species of plants growing in the area. Some of them are probably significantly more palatable to the deer than my zinnias. The deer have no reason to eat my zinnias, so they don't.

RE: Do deer eat zinnia?

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Posted by hpny2 Z5 NY (My Page) on
Tue, May 6, 14 at 10:51

Zinnias are not their favorites in my yard. But on occassion they will eat them. Some other low growing flowers suitable for window boxes that deer don't like are: For sun: alyssum, marigolds, dianthus, dwarf snapdragons, ageratum, petunias, lantana, verbena. For shade wax begonias or lobelia. Don't plant impatiens, that a favorite for my resident deer.

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Posted by donnabaskets 7b-8 MS (My Page) on
Tue, May 6, 14 at 16:52

If they are hungry enough, deer will eat ANYTHING. However, zinnias are frequently on lists as plants they avoid. I have never had deer damage on mine. They adore pansies, tulips, white variegated monkey grass....well, you know.

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Posted by hpny2 Z5 NY (My Page) on
Tue, May 6, 14 at 23:26

Funny, they never eat my pansies. They do love my portulaca, impatiens, tulips, hosta, mums and of course daylilies. I never see them eat my dandelions though!

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Posted by vera_eastern_wa 5a-5b (My Page) on
Wed, May 7, 14 at 9:35

LOL....for real! Why couldn't they just eat my dandelions LOL!! Too funny!!
We are deer central (Elk from fall thru spring) here in the central Idaho mountains....very rural and miles of grass/plant life. but they seem more interested in garden plants!
I used Deer Out during the 2012 season....and it worked fairly well until late summer/early fall. Then they ate mostly the flowers off of the Calendula and Coreopsis. I sprayed those nightly for a while but no matter! Last year I decided on a homemade (water, eggs, hot pepper sauce, onion spray)....it worked pretty good, but was constantly having to replace clogged spray bottles!
This year I bought both "Deer Stopper" (spray) and "Deer Scram" (pellets) from amazon and should arrive any day and JUST in time....the deer have arrived! I've heard switching products throughout the season can boost effectiveness.
This season will be the first I've put out Zinnia seedlings....keeping fingers crossed!!

Vera

RE: Do deer eat zinnia?

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Posted by hpny2 Z5 NY (My Page) on
Wed, May 7, 14 at 11:36

I do spray those plants that I know deer love, like my daylily flower buds (aka deer candy) I don't grow too many daylilies though, I am too lazy to keep up with all that spraying, preferring to grow the things they won't eat. Worse than deer though, are woodchucks. They will eat many things deer won't, and most sprays don't deter them either. There are only a few flowers Chuckie won't eat - snaps, alyssum, marigolds, salvia and dianthus. Everything else - forget it!

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Posted by mnwsgal 4 Henn MN (My Page) on
Thu, May 8, 14 at 22:28

Deer and rabbits decimate my tall zinnias throughout the growing season. I tried again last year in my flower beds and saw only a few flowers which disappeared overnight or the next day or two. Most buds were eaten before they could open and most plants were eaten to 5-6 inches. Back to squeezing a few plants in the fenced veggie bed.

RE: Do deer eat zinnia?

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Posted by vera_eastern_wa 5a-5b (My Page) on
Fri, May 9, 14 at 7:53

Really there isn't much Deer won't eat if they are hungry enough!. I have several plants that they supposedly won't touch or prefer not too, but they do...even the Rugosa Roses come late summer/ early fall :(
The only plants I haven't had to spray were the Datura, Lavender and Thyme.

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