kenzzo54
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do deer especially like onions?

I'm a fairly new gardener and I tried planning green onions and leeks this year. They are growing well, but every week or so I will see that one has just been pulled right out of the ground. I had a whole bunch of leeks that I hadn't thinned out yet and today I saw that they are all gone! I haven't really had a problem with deer in past, so I'm wondering if they particularly like onions or something? It seems a little suspicious though... The green onion that was missing today almost looked like it could have been taken from below ground... Also my eggplant plant disappeared today. :(

Anyone have a similar experience?

valley
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Hi, Here in the mountains the nothing seem to bother the onions but at the Nevada place the squirrels and rabbits eat them if not protected, because there is less to choose from. Leek is milder than onion, I think, I was wondering if I dare put some outside up here, I have some growing in the greenhouse to transplant down there.

No. I don't think deer are attracted to onions, we have deer up here, nothing bothers the rhubarb or the onions. If deer are eating them where you are they must have learned to eat it or the culprit is another species.

Richard

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applestar
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Is your garden fenced?

Are the onions and leeks just left on the gound? Any bite marks? Any tracks/paw/hoof, etc prints on the ground? How big were they?

Eggplant -- disappeared? Entirely? Stems? Rootball?

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rainbowgardener
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Onions and garlic are usually described as deer resistant, something deer will not eat. And deer usually graze, they don't just disappear things.

I'm thinking you have a different critter. Gophers might pull an onion down. Slugs are better at disappearing things overnight than you might think and they would not be repelled by the onion scent as most mammals are. Raccoons will eat almost anything, but even they don't like onions.

estorms
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Gardening is almost a contact sport; whatever you plant, there is something that eats it. Around here, if it isn't fenced, it's a buffet. I love our abundant wildlife, but I will do whatever it takes to keep them out of my garden.

valley
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I don't know if you are asking me or kenzzo, My garden in the mountain isn't fenced, in the high desert it is.

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applestar
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I was asking Kenzzo to try to figure out the culprit. :wink:

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tomf
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Deer fences make for good neighbors. Run chicken wire along the bottom to keep out the rabbits.

valley
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Chicken wire works, but squirrels climb over that, electric is a good addition.



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