Deer can present a considerable challenge for gardeners, often causing damage to various plants. Understanding their dietary patterns and behaviors is important for safeguarding garden plants and implementing effective protection strategies.
Are Lime Trees a Target for Deer
While lime trees are not typically a primary food source for deer, they are still susceptible to browsing, especially under certain conditions. The strong scent and acidic taste of citrus fruits and foliage usually make them less appealing compared to other plants.
Deer are known to have a diverse diet and will consume a wide range of food items, adapting their feeding habits based on availability. Deer may browse on lime trees when preferred food sources are scarce, such as during droughts, periods of overpopulation, or in winter months when other vegetation is limited. Young, tender growth on lime trees is particularly vulnerable to browsing. Deer can cause significant damage to citrus groves, ranging from minor nibbling to complete defoliation of young trees.
Identifying Deer Damage on Lime Trees
Deer lack upper incisors, which results in a characteristic ragged or torn appearance on browsed leaves, stems, and twigs. Unlike damage from rodents or rabbits, which typically leave clean, angled cuts, deer damage appears more shredded. This tearing motion is a direct result of how deer grasp and pull vegetation when feeding. Deer typically browse branches less than one inch in diameter, and damage can extend up to six feet high on plants.
Beyond browsing, male deer, particularly in fall during the rutting season, may rub their antlers against tree trunks to remove velvet or mark territory. This behavior can severely scar the bark and even kill young trees. You may also find indirect evidence of deer presence, such as their tracks, which are split and about two to three inches long, or their droppings, which are often oblong pellets.
Protecting Lime Trees from Deer
Protecting lime trees from deer involves a combination of methods to deter their presence and prevent damage. Fencing is generally considered the most effective way to exclude deer from an area. For individual young trees, wire mesh cylinders or individual fences made from chicken wire or mesh can provide protection, ideally at least five to six feet tall to prevent deer from reaching over or jumping into them. A complete perimeter fence around an orchard should be at least eight feet high and secured tightly to the ground to prevent deer from crawling underneath.
Repellents offer another protective layer, working either by taste or smell to deter deer. Commercial repellents often contain ingredients that make plants unpalatable or emit odors deer dislike, and these require reapplication, especially after rain or as new growth emerges. Some gardeners use homemade solutions, such as mixtures containing eggs, milk, garlic, and cayenne pepper, or by hanging bars of strongly scented soap like Irish Spring from branches. Companion planting with herbs such as rosemary, sage, or mint, which deer tend to avoid, can also contribute to deterrence around lime trees. Maintaining a clean garden by removing brush piles near trees can also make the area less appealing to deer.