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Believe it or not, deer do eat tomatoes.
They are attracted to the tomato plants smell, regardless of thetomato variety.
And after a deer eats a tomato, they may develop a taste for it.
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We spoke with experts to find out how to decipher the telltale signs that deer have eaten your tomatoes.
Meet the Expert
Do Deer Eat Tomatoes?
Want more gardening tips?
Create a Physical Barrier
This method is the most effective, experts say.
This is because deer can easily scale a 7-foot fence.
Deer wont want to be anywhere a predator may have just been hunting.
Gibbs suggests sprinkling cayenne pepper on your tomato plants as another option.
Set Up Motion-Activated Sprinklers
Naturally skittish, deer are easily startled.
Motion-activated sprinklers prevent them from getting close to your tomato plants, Gibbs says.
But you’ve got the option to take advantage of this survival trait to safely repel deer.
Spray your plants withessential oilsthey dislike such as mint, rosemary, or lavender.
Spend time in your vegetable garden during prime deer feeding hours: dawn and dusk, Gibbs says.
Just be sure to plant these in areas you dont want deer to be.
