Gardeners often wonder if deer will browse their citrus trees, a common concern in areas with significant deer populations. Understanding deer behavior and implementing protective measures can help safeguard your citrus trees. This article explores the reality of deer and citrus, how to identify damage, and effective deterrents.
Deer and Citrus: The Reality
While citrus trees are not typically a deer’s first preference, they can and will browse on them, especially when other food sources are scarce. Deer are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat what is available, particularly young growth, leaves, or fruit. Factors such as drought, overpopulation of deer, or a lack of alternative forage can increase the likelihood of deer feeding on citrus.
Young citrus trees are particularly vulnerable to deer damage because their tender shoots are more digestible and lack the strong aroma of mature leaves. Mature trees are generally more resilient, though deer may still browse accessible foliage or fruit. Deer can also rub their antlers on tree trunks, causing significant damage by stripping bark and potentially killing the plant.
Identifying Deer Damage
Recognizing deer damage involves looking for specific signs. Deer lack upper incisors, tearing plant material rather than making clean cuts, which results in a ragged or torn appearance on leaves, twigs, and stems. Damage often appears at heights up to six feet from the ground, as this is the typical reach of a browsing deer.
In contrast, damage from smaller animals like rabbits or rodents usually presents as cleanly cut stems, often at a 45-degree angle, and is concentrated closer to the ground, typically within a few inches to two feet. Another indicator of deer presence is stripped bark or vertical scrapes on tree trunks caused by bucks rubbing their antlers. Deer droppings or distinct heart-shaped hoof prints can also confirm their activity in your garden.
Effective Deer Deterrents for Citrus
Protecting citrus trees from deer often requires a multi-pronged approach, as deer can become accustomed to single deterrents over time. Physical barriers are generally the most effective method for exclusion. Fencing, especially woven wire or electric fencing at least 6 to 8 feet tall, can provide a reliable barrier for an entire area. For individual young trees, wire mesh cylinders or tree cages made from materials like hardware cloth or chicken wire, at least 6 feet tall, are effective.
Repellents can also be used, though they often require consistent reapplication, especially after rain or as new growth emerges. Commercial repellents often contain ingredients like putrescent egg solids, which deter deer through smell. Homemade solutions, such as sprays made from eggs, milk, garlic, or hot pepper, can also be effective. Strong scents like citrus peels or soap, which deer tend to avoid, can also be used.
Strategic planting can also play a role; while no plant is entirely “deer-proof,” planting deer-resistant species or those with strong aromas near citrus trees may help deter browsing. Rotating deterrent methods and addressing deer activity promptly can prevent deer from establishing a habit of feeding in your garden.