Finding daisies damaged by animals is a common challenge for gardeners. Understanding the potential culprits behind such garden destruction is the initial step toward preserving your plants.
Common Animals That Eat Daisies
Several animals find daisies a palatable food source, each with distinct preferences and feeding patterns. Deer, for instance, are known to browse on a wide variety of garden plants, including daisies, especially when other food sources are scarce. Rabbits are also frequent garden visitors that readily consume tender plant parts. Smaller, ground-dwelling creatures like voles can cause significant damage by feeding on roots and plant bases. Slugs and snails, often active during damp conditions, are common invertebrate pests that will also feed on daisy foliage.
Identifying Daisy Damage
Observing the specific type of damage on your daisies helps in identifying the animal responsible. Deer browsing typically results in a ragged, torn appearance on stems and leaves due to their lack of upper incisors, pulling and ripping vegetation. In contrast, rabbits possess sharp incisors that leave clean, angled cuts on stems, often close to the ground.
If you notice entire plants disappearing or significant damage to the roots or lower stems, accompanied by small, pencil-sized tunnels near the plant, voles are likely the culprits. Slugs and snails leave irregular holes in daisy leaves and petals, which can vary in size. These holes often appear on the interior of the leaves rather than just the edges. A distinct shimmering, silvery trail, especially noticeable on leaves or the surrounding soil, confirms the presence of slugs or snails. Understanding these specific damage patterns allows for a more accurate diagnosis of the pest.
Protecting Your Daisies
Protecting daisies involves physical barriers and deterrents. For larger animals like deer and rabbits, installing physical barriers can be effective. A fence at least 7-8 feet tall is needed to deter deer, while a 2-3 foot high fence, buried a few inches into the ground, can prevent rabbits from accessing your plants. For voles, consider using hardware cloth cylinders buried around the root zone of new plantings to create an underground barrier. Repellents can also discourage feeding by making plants unpalatable or emitting odors that animals dislike. These often require reapplication after rain or irrigation to maintain effectiveness. For slugs and snails, reducing moisture and hiding spots around your daisies can help; clear away leaf litter, weeds, and debris from the garden bed. Hand-picking slugs and snails in the evening or early morning can also significantly reduce their population and protect your daisy blooms.