Deer and potatoes---can they exist together?

braggscowboy · #1 02/25/12, 08:24 PM

Has anyone had any trouble with planting potatoes and the deer come along and eat the tops as they are growing? I have lots of deer and had to quit planting a garden where I am thinking of putting potatoes. Not sure if deer will bother them. Does anyone know for sure?

Marcia in MT · #2 02/25/12, 08:51 PM

The deer don't bother our potatoes, and they are along the edge where they are easy to get at. They might sample a nibble or two, but really don't bother the plants. Unlike the corn along the same edge . . .

One of the farmers we get potato seed from says he has more trouble with sandhill cranes than deer!

Tom VH · #3 02/25/12, 08:55 PM

Before we built and moved on to our land, for two years, we planted potato patches, near the woods, with out any fence, we have lots of deer, and we got lots of potatoes; nothing bothered ours.
Good luck.

EDDIE BUCK · #4 02/25/12, 09:06 PM

Last year I planted potatoes in a small plot where everything else gets eaten up by deer,no problems other than they stepped on a few hills, but that was all.Had great potatoes.

Forerunner · #5 02/25/12, 09:07 PM

Mmmm. They go great together in a stew.

elkhound · #6 02/25/12, 10:26 PM

i guess i am odd man out here...deer have eatin 100's of hills for me.they ate 3-100 foot plus rows down to the dirt and the stalks were large as my thumb. i am yet to get a tater to grow that nots behind hotwire.whitetails just eat everything in my opinion.

wingnut64 · #7 02/26/12, 12:37 AM

We usually have a few visits from the deer too. Last year the potatoes fell victim to the grubs below ground, not the deer above.
But they do love my okra! Since a lot of us here have small gardens any loss hurts. One of our neighbors uses marigolds as a border around his garden and gives us some to plant.
They do seem to deter all but the most determined ones. I also have a few battery operated motion lights on stakes.

Big Dave · #8 02/26/12, 03:33 AM

Plant the marigolds next to the potato. The deer hate the marigold smell. If ya have tomatoes cut off the marigold flowers and hang them in the tomato vine. The deer just do not like them.

Explorer · #9 02/26/12, 03:35 AM

No deer problem, but Elk have eaten my potatoes down early in the season.

indianjoe · #10 02/26/12, 06:10 AM

Absolutely no deer problems in my tator patch for several years, except trampling some small plants. The patch is directly in a trail with deer traffic twice a day.

Rick · #11 02/26/12, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braggscowboy

Has anyone had any trouble with planting potatoes and the deer come along and eat the tops as they are growing? I have lots of deer and had to quit planting a garden where I am thinking of putting potatoes. Not sure if deer will bother them. Does anyone know for sure?

Do you have a dog? Is there plenty of other food close-by for the deer?

We have a 5 foot perimeter fence, 2 dogs and plenty of meadow and other edibles for them, and so far they have not jumped the fence.

Raccoons are a different animal.

Hey Forerunner, how are baby Raccoons with Taters in stew?

#12 02/26/12, 11:23 AM

deer destroy my garden but don't touch my potatoes

mamita · #13 02/26/12, 11:24 AM

that's one of the few things our deer leave us. lots of potatoes here. otherwise...those deer usually have me freaking out chasing them.

TnAndy · #14 02/26/12, 02:17 PM

Don't bother our Irish potatoes, but I can't grow a sweet potato outside the fence....they mow them off to the ground.

Rick · #15 02/26/12, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TnAndy

Don't bother our Irish potatoes, but I can't grow a sweet potato outside the fence....they mow them off to the ground.

Edible by you and me, too.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #16 02/26/12, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braggscowboy

Has anyone had any trouble with planting potatoes and the deer come along and eat the tops as they are growing? I have lots of deer and had to quit planting a garden where I am thinking of putting potatoes. Not sure if deer will bother them. Does anyone know for sure?

they go great together on a plate,

i would tell you a 6 foot high electric fence 1 foot spacing on the wires with a wire knee high out about 4 feet would keep them out , but my own aunt recently gave up on gardening for much the same reason

she had the fence , but a few times each year the deer would run right thru it and break the wire , i noticed the neighbors who are still gardening have moved to 8 foot high welded wire fences surrounding their hole garden and fruit trees.

not exactly sure about potatoes and deer but when you have the tastiest thing around they want it.

how about a nice dog in your fenced garden , a friend with a 5 foot welded wire fence around his garden does fairly well he also has a dog pen at one end that 2 of his dogs spend the night in

Bat Farm · #17 02/26/12, 03:14 PM

You can plant cucumbers or squash around the perimeter of your garden. Deer do not like to step into a nice mess of vines. There are various schools of thought as to why -some say the feel, some say not being able to see where they are putting their feet. Either way it works. We plant vines among the corn and it keeps them out.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #18 02/26/12, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Raccoons are a different animal.

Hey Forerunner, how are baby Raccoons with Taters in stew?

they should eat just fine.

Forerunner · #19 02/26/12, 03:23 PM

Just use a little extra garlic, and it's all good.

Rick · #20 02/26/12, 04:03 PM

Garlic and onions... mmmmm.