Do Deer Eat Watermelon?

Deer like to eat many sweet things, and fruits are at the top of the list, so if you wonder whether deer eats watermelon, then the answer is yes. The reasons are many. For starters, watermelon fruit is rich in carbohydrates besides being sweet. There are lots of levels of vitamins as well, including C, A, and B6. Additionally, there are amino acids, lycopene, and antioxidants. Deer will also feed on the vines and leaves and of Watermelon.

Will Deer Also Eat Watermelon Rinds?

Deer never feed on the watermelon rinds as they prefer the Lycopene. Lycopene is considered the sweetest part of the watermelon and is usually the internal red or pink in color. Deer is not in the habit of consuming an entire watermelon and, therefore, only focuses on the sweet parts. 

It does this by making a hole in the rind and scooping some flesh to chew the watermelon’s insides. 

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What Does Deer Like to Eat?

Deer have lots of favorite foods, but it is not what they always get to eat as it is in the wild. Fruits and nuts are among the favorites, but they can also eat acorns, hickory nuts, apples, and blueberries. Sometimes during winter, people also tend to feed deer with bread, it is considerably affordable and available.

The deer population is growing every year, and the habitat is decreasing as many people are moving towards the suburbs. If you have to contend with deer living around your neighborhood, then you need some ingenious ways to handle the deer situation. In this case, the simple solution would be to a fence or make your property deer hostile. You can do this in the following ways. 

Deer Menace

The deer population, though increasing, is controlled by hunting and predators like cougars and wolves. However, deer can be destructive and will keep returning for more once they discover a feeding habitat. They also tend to eat so many plants in such a short time. Consider the following methods to rid yourself of deer problems.  

Prevention

One of the foolproof ways to keep deer away from your property and garden is to fence. The fence must also be high to discourage deer from leaping over. Fencing must not be costly, and you consider choosing from many types of fences. 

Among the most affordable deer prevention fences is the eight-foot plastic mesh that is durable and strong enough. You can also consider opaque fencing, which must not be as tall as the wire mesh fence. Deer are less likely to jump over a fence if they do not know what lurks on the other side.

Double fencing is also an effective method to discourage deer leaps. The two fences should be far apart so that the deer cannot clear both barriers with one jump. 

Control 

Deer Repellant Vegetables

Deer repellant vegetables is a controlled way to limit deer damage to your fruits and vegetables. There are some areas where it is impossible to build a fence; hence you may need repellents as the first line of preventive measures. The greatest challenge with this kind of deer control is that there are not so many deer repellant vegetables around. Deer like most things that people grow, and furthermore deer are ruminants. It means they feed indiscriminately, and their stomach can digest a variety of plant material.

A gardener knows that deer repellant vegetables offer only a slight resistance as deer tastes adapt to its habitat, especially when hungry. Understandably there is little you can do to deter deer from feeding on your vegetables if left unfenced. Mature deer and fawns alike will chew on anything, and if the taste is terrible, they will spit it out, but you would still incur the damage to your farm. 

A Classification of Deer Repellant Vegetables

Strong Tasting and Smelly Plants

Include plants like onions, chives, dill, leeks, mint, garlic, and fennel. Deer do not like herbs and spices, but they can consume parsley and basil. 

Prickly and Fuzzy Plants 

It is among the less appealing foods for deer. Includes squash, cucumbers, and pumpkin. Strange enough, deer do not prefer melon plants, but they indeed enjoy watermelon.

Root Vegetables 

The main advantage of planting root vegetables is that they need some digging for deer to get to them. If there is already some palatable food source, deer will avoid root vegetables and only consider the last option. These kinds of vegetables and tubers include potatoes. 

However, deer-like sweet potatoes, radish tops, and beet tops. When a deer is hungry, it will also dig for carrots. 

Nightshade 

Most of the nightshade family plants are deer repellant as they find them poisonous. An example is the Jimsonweed, which is toxic nightshade that grows untouched by cow lots. Other deer repellant vegetables in the nightshade family are potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and some peppers.

Some plants are also toxic to deer, and they include cucumber leaf and rhubarb. Otherwise, many poisonous plants will not harm deer as they are ruminant animals. 

The cabbage family is not a deer repellant vegetable. They include cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, and kale.

Much as the deer will avoid mature asparagus plants, they will still feed on the new shoots, and generally, globe artichokes are among the best deer barriers you can grow.

Other Effective Deer Barriers to Consider

Having a wireless deer fence is a sure way of preventing damage from the deer population. The idea is to place the wireless deer fence posts on the entrances to your property and vegetable gardens. Dee will learn to keep away and eventually leave your garden unharmed. Another simple way is keeping an aggressive dog that will always be free to roam around the garden. 

Summary

Deer like watermelon and are neither scavengers nor predators. They are ruminants with a complex digestive system. A deer’s four-chambered stomach is tolerant to most plants and vegetables; hence an effective barrier should not be plantations. You can consider fencing your property to be sure of keeping deer away from your vegetables.