Are bleeding hearts plants deer resistant? All suburban gardeners know what it feels like to find a deer feeding on your flowers that you spent too much time growing. Needless to say, it doesn’t feel good. Luckily for you, if you’re growing bleeding hearts, deers won’t be a problem.
Bleeding hearts are classified as deer-resistant. Deers won’t eat them unless they’re starving and there isn’t anything else around to eat. So they won’t take bleeding hearts as their first choice in your garden.
Follow this article if you want to find out more about bleeding hearts, whether deers eat them, and other plants that deers don’t eat.
Are Bleeding Hearts Plants Deer Resistant?
Before answering this question, you’d probably like to know a couple of things. For one, plants classified as deer-resistant aren’t entirely safe from deers. They’re just not on the top of the menu for deers. So, they won’t eat them unless there’s nothing else around.
While that means deers will likely not eat the plants, there’s nothing to say you won’t find a deer munching on them one day. After all, each deer is different, and it’s not unusual for an animal to eat something it’s not meant to.
To answer your question, yes, bleeding hearts are deer resistant. Although the plants look inviting, with petals dropping out of the natural heart shapes, deers don’t prefer them.
Deers aren’t the only ones that think so. Rabbits, too, don’t feed on bleeding hearts, and they usually avoid them.
What Pests Eat Bleeding Hearts?
Bleeding hearts are safe from deers, yes, but that doesn’t mean they’re 100% safe. Like most garden flowers, they’re still prone to some pests and diseases.
For one, snails and slugs love bleeding hearts. If you see the flower’s petals chewed on, and there’s a slimy trail, a snail has been here.
Snails are usually attracted to areas with organic debris because they can find places to hide. If you want to deter them, clean around your flowers.
Aside from snails, your flowers can also be attacked by aphids. They suck the juices out, which can eventually kill the flower if you don’t treat the issue. However, you can easily use neem oil to get rid of them.
Other Garden Flowers That Are Deer-Resistant
Bleeding hearts aren’t the only plants around that are deer-resistant. There are a couple more flowers that don’t appeal to deers. Here’s a roundup.
Lavender
This one may be surprising because humans love lavender so much that they’re putting it in perfumes, skincare products, and even detergents. Fortunately for you, deers don’t think the same. They don’t like the smell that lavenders produce, so they mostly stay away from them.
Corydalis
Aside from their unique tube-like shape, corydalis are the perfect garden flowers for many reasons. For one, they’re dear-resistant. Deers won’t munch on them or ruin your effort. On top of that, they’re a low-maintenance plant.
You won’t need to prune or cut it regularly, and its growth requirements are easy to fulfill.
Daffodils
If you’re living in a place with plenty of deers, rabbits, and squirrels around, daffodils would be the perfect choice for you. Rabbits don’t go after them because they contain lycorine, a toxic substance.
Coreopsis
Although I disagree, deers aren’t fans of the bright yellow color of coreopsis. They’ll rarely try to eat the flower or even disturb it. More so if the flower is thread leaf coreopsis. So, you can assume that your garden is safe if you’re growing those.
Coreopsis generally has a lot of advantages. These plants tolerate drought conditions, and they don’t need fertilizing. So, it’s easy to see why they’re the choice of many plant parents.
On top of that, deers don’t like the milky sap they produce, so they won’t attempt to eat them.
Coneflower
Coneflowers look like flat versions of sunflowers, except they mostly come in pink and red colors. These flowers are classified as deer resistant because their odor deters the deers. The animals also don’t like the spiny center of the flower, so they generally avoid it.
That doesn’t mean coneflowers are entirely safe, though. They tend to attract wild birds, thanks to their bright-colored petals. They also attract bees and butterflies, but those are attracted to most flowers, anyway.
How to Protect Your Flowers From Deers
Deers can be a real pain when they feed on your flowers regularly. You spend too much time growing your flowers and taking care of them, only for a stray deer to choose your flower bed for lunch.
Even deer-resistant flowers aren’t totally safe if the area frequently gets deer attacks.
Scare Them Away
Although scarecrows are outdated, you can use a similar concept to scare the deers away. Deers are generally skittish by nature, and they won’t go into a garden they’re afraid of. To scare them, you can install bright lights or chimes that make a sound. Alternatively, you can install a sundial or any garden gadget and place it strategically to give them a scare.
Keep the Garden Clean
Bedding deers tend to target unclean yards. When the grass is too tall, and there’s enough debris on the ground, they can hide and sleep without being seen. If you regularly cut the grass and clean around, the deers won’t be able to hide.
On top of that, deers may tread deeper into your garden if they find fallen fruits or flowers on the ground. If you keep the garden clean of those, the deers won’t find anything appealing to keep going inside.
Plant Thick Hedges
If you want to protect your entire garden from deer, you may plant thick hedges. Deers aren’t tall animals, so if there’s a hedge hiding the lawn, they won’t see what’s inside. Chances are, they won’t tread into a territory that they can’t see.
Install Terraces
Deers can’t climb over tall hedges or terraces, no thanks to their short height and inflexible legs. So, if you want to keep the deers out of your garden, you may install terraces or stack wooden logs randomly around your flower beds, so the deers can’t get inside.
Use Netting
If you’re on a tight budget, you may use netting to protect your plants. If the flowers are still immature, wrap them in mesh to keep them away from the deers. You can also opt for tree protectors if you’re afraid the deers will eat right through the netting.
Install Water Sprinklers
Garden sprinklers are often motion-activated. These will work wonderfully to keep the deers out because they’ll sprinkle water every time the animal comes close. When the deer hears the sudden sound and feels the water on its body, it’ll feel scared and walk right out. There’s a fat chance it’ll go deeper, especially that deers are generally easy to scare.
Play Their Senses
Deers use their smelling sense to tread into your garden and eat your flowers. So, why don’t you use the same sense to keep them out?
You’ll want to confuse the deers’ smelling sense, so they walk right out of the garden without eating anything.
To do that, you can hang some garlic close to the place where deers usually enter. You can also hang bars of soap. Some people use rotten eggs, but I doubt you’ll want those in your garden.
If you want safer options, you may hang fabric softener strips or use commercial repellants, but these will cost you more. You can do any of the previous, as long as you work on confusing the deers.
To Wrap Up: Are Bleeding Hearts plants deer resistant?
Bleeding heart plants are deer resistant. However, that doesn’t mean they’re entirely safe from deers. Some stray deers can still take a bite and then walk right out. To protect your flowers from deers, you can wrap them in netting or hang something smelly to deter them.
Deers aren’t vampires, but they, too, won’t walk into a garden with garlic hanging around!
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