Deer is a type of herbivore that eats a variety of grasses, herbs, grains, and vegetables for a living. In some cases, they can even move to the fields and gardens in search of food. In today’s article, we will discuss if the deer can eat sweet potato vines, leaves, peels & plants.
Do deer eat sweet potatoes?
Deer love to eat sweet potatoes. They require high-value nutritional elements in their regular diet which are mostly found in vegetables such as sweet potatoes. In addition to that, the sweet potato contains calories and starch which is a good source of iron, calcium, and potassium.
The deer are considered an herbivore animal that requires herbs and vegetables in their regular diet. They mostly rely on food that contains high-value iron, calcium, and calories.
That is why they look for vegetables such as sweet potatoes when they search for food. As a result, they might reach your garden and eat herbs and vegetables from your garden.
There is a lot of variety of sweet potatoes available. Below is a brief discussion on whether the deer eat raw sweet potatoes:
Raw sweet potatoes:
Generally, sweet potatoes are cultivated as an ornamental plant in the garden. Deer love to eat raw sweet potatoes. They can even eat the sweet potato leaves, which are toxic. But they will eat them somehow if they are hungry enough.
However, the deer also love to eat sweet potato plants. As a result, they can cause significant damage to sweet potato vines.
Do deer eat sweet potato vines, leaves, plants, skins, and peels?
The deer likes to eat sweet potato vines, leaves, plants, skins, and peels as well. Eating these will provide them with the proper nutrition they require in their regular diet. Sweet potatoes contain iron, calcium, and starch. So, there is a chance that the deer can damage your potato vines.
Sweet Potato is considered a great source of nutrition for deer. Generally, deer require high-value nutrition for their regular diet. That is why they rely on herbs, vegetables as well as leaves.
In some cases, the deer may come to your garden and eat the plants and vegetables from it. That is why you need to understand and figure out the solution for the issue if you are planning to cultivate sweet potatoes in a deer-infested area.
Because sweet potatoes are liked by the deer and they can eat the sweet potato leaves, plants, skins, and even the peels. So, you need to be very careful to prevent the deer from causing any damage to your sweet potato vine.
Generally, people cultivate sweet potatoes in their gardens as ornamental plants. So, it can be common for the deer to come inside the garden in search of food and damage the sweet potato plants.
Below is a brief discussion on whether deer eat sweet potato vines, leaves, plants, skins, and peels:
Sweet potato vines and plants:
Deer can eat sweet potato vines and plants when they are in search of food. It is a very common scenario in the deer-infested area. Since deer require high-value nutritional materials to live, sweet potato vines and plants can be a great source of nutrition.
Sweet potato leaves:
Sweet potato leaves are considered a toxic element for the deer but deer can still eat them if they are hungry enough. That is why it is important to make a barrier around the garden to prevent them from entering it.
Sweet potato skins and peels:
You can still provide potato skins and peels to the deer to feed them. This will provide them with essential nutrients and minerals that are required for them to grow up. That is why the sweet potato is essential for the deer as well.
Are sweet potato vines deer resistant?
The sweet potato vines are considered resistant because the deer usually do not like to eat sweet potato vines. In some cases, they might consider eating sweet potato vines if they are hungry.
Sweet Potato is a warm-season plant, and there is plenty of food available during the season for the deer to eat. They choose to eat the food that contains essential nutrition that are required for the deer for their regular diet.
In addition to that, hungry deer may eat almost anything that they can source. So, you cannot be sure that the deer will not be attracted to the sweet potato vine and leave them.
That is why it is recommended to make a barrier for your garden as well as the sweet potato vines to prevent them from getting invaded by the deer.
Are sweet potatoes bad for deer?
Sweet potatoes are generally not considered as bad for deer. There are very few plants that can be toxic and bad for the deer. They usually do not eat the root vegetables, which require digging from the ground.
Sometimes the deer can eat sweet potatoes if they are hungry enough. Generally, most people cultivate sweet potatoes as ornamental vegetables in their garden.
So, if you’re willing to cultivate sweet potatoes in your garden, and if you’re living in a deer-infested area, you need to secure the garden by making a strong barrier around it so that the deer cannot come close to it.
This will help you to keep your garden safe from any type of unwanted deer invasion. Our various types of potatoes that the deer like to eat fulfill their nutritional requirements.
How to keep deer from eating sweet potato vines?
Generally, most people tend to decorate their gardens by planting different types of flowers and vegetables.
In most cases, they are seen planting ornamental vegetables that simply enhance the beauty of their garden and make it versatile-looking. That is why the sweet potato is considered one of the most commonly produced ornamental vegetables.
It is commonly preferred by most homeowners as well. But if you’re living in a deer-infested area, the deer can cause trouble to your garden by coming inside it.
In search of food, they can eat the plants and sweet potatoes as well as the sweet potato vines. That is why you need to take some measures to keep the deer away from the sweet potato vines.
It is not necessary to use any type of deer repellent that will drive away from the deer as well as make them sick due to the use of it. Follow the tips below to keep away the deer from your sweet potato vines:
Make a barrier:
A barrier around the garden as well as the sweet potato vine will ensure proper safety from the deer.
If you’re living in a deer-infested area and have a chance to get invaded by the deer, you need to encircle your garden by providing mesh wire fences that are high enough to protect the sweet potato vines, as well as the other plants.
It is recommended that you use 48 inches high mesh wire fences to secure the garden.
Grow sweet potatoes in window boxes:
Growing sweet potatoes in window boxes will help you to prevent the deer from reaching it.
You can simply grow them on the second floor or higher height to prevent the deer from reaching the sweet potato vines easily. Because the deer will not climb a set of stairs to get on the sweet potato vine.
Keep smelling material around the vines:
You can try keeping some materials that spread a smell that is not liked by the deer. This will help you to drive away from the deer from your garden.
What animal is eating my sweet potato vine?
Many animals love to eat sweet potato vine. In most cases, they face an invasion of pests and animals that can cause serious damage to the plants, as well as the fruits of sweet potato vines.
The sweet potatoes grow around 10 inches to one foot under the ground where the vine damage is generally seen on the plant ground right above the soil. Below is a brief discussion on different types of animals that love to eat sweet potato vine:
Squirrels:
Generally, squirrels are a common type of animal that damages the sweet potato vines by eating the vine from the top of the ground. They are also experts in digging.
Sweet potato flea beetle:
Sweet potatoes are often damaged and eaten by the sweet potato flea beetle. Generally, the larva of these species eats the roots.
Rats:
Rats are a common type of fraud that loves to eat sweet potato vines.
Final Thoughts
Growing sweet potatoes in a deer-infested area can cause you trouble if the deers can invade the garden in search of food and damage the plants. So you need to secure the garden to prevent the deer from entering it. You can also grow sweet potatoes in the higher vine to keep them away from deer.