There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat jalapeno plants?
Yes, deer will eat jalapeno plants. While jalapeno plants are not a major part of a deer’s diet, they will absolutely eat them if they’re hungry enough.
There’s a bit more to learn about deer eating jalapeno plants which we’ll cover in today’s guide. Read on for more info.
Why Do Deer Eat Jalapeno Plants?
As we covered, deer will eat jalapeno plants when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Well, for one, deer are browsing animals, meaning they’ll eat almost anything they come across if they’re hungry enough.
Your jalapeno plants are most susceptible to deer when there are fewer other food choices around for them, and especially when the jalapenos are young and the plants are tender.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like jalapeno plants based on opportunity.
If you’re not convinced, leave some jalapeno plants out for deer to eat (or plant some), and wait to see what happens!
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Jalapeno Plants?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting jalapeno plants from hungry deer: their habits, your scent, repellent options, and when you plant them.
Deer will eat nearly anything if they’re hungry enough, so your main goal is making your garden as least inviting to deer as possible.
Check out our guide on how to keep deer from eating plants where we cover 25 quick and easy tips for keeping hungry deer out of your garden.
Will My Jalapeno Plants Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, jalapeno plants can deal with regular pruning similar damage from being eaten by deer and should regrow in most cases.
Trim off any broken stems and support the central stem with a stake while nursing the plant back to health.
You may want to remove all the blossoms and peppers so the plant focuses its energy into green growth.
Be sure to give the plant plenty of water and fertilize as needed during this time.
Are Jalapeno Plants Good For Deer To Eat?
Feeding deer jalapeno plants provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B6
- Potassium
These vitamins and minerals provide deer with many benefits.
For example, vitamin C will help protect deer against scurvy and vitamin assists in deer immune system function.
Potassium is great for deer because it helps maintain good pH balance and aid in proper digestion.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins For Deer
Vitamins A, D, E, K, and calcium are fat-soluble, so they can be stored in the deer’s fat and liver to be used later as needed.
This means that vitamin A content from deer eating jalapeno plants can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
Water-Soluble Vitamins For Deer
Vitamin C, B Vitamins, niacin, folic acid, and potassium are all water-soluble, which means they cannot be stored, so they must be replaced continually.
So a deer that eats jalapeno plants for the vitamin C content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
How To Feed Deer Jalapenos
Most gardeners and veggie growers want to keep deer away from their jalapeno plants.
If you have extra jalapeno plants or are looking to see if you can feed jalapenos to deer, this next part is for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when feeding deer jalapeno plants: the size of the portion, your scent, and how many deer you’re feeding.
Make sure to place the jalapenos on the ground where they’re visible and can be easily reached by deer.
If you’ve got a winter food plot with jalapeno plants growing in it, the deer will eat them right out of the ground.
If deer are not normally around your area in winter, don’t feed them leading up to winter as they will not migrate where and when they should.
This will lead to the deer relying on you as their food source and can result in starvation.
Should I Cut Up Jalapeno Plants For Deer To Eat?
If possible, slice the jalapenos in to 1″ or 2″ pieces to make it easier for the deer to eat them.
Jalapeno plants are high in fiber which can be tough on deer to digest in large quantities.
Don’t Leave Your Scent On Deer Food
Deer have a keen sense of smell that allows them to smell human scent farther than bloodhounds can, and can smell up to six different scents at once.
Deer won’t eat food like jalapeno plants if they have a strong human scent on them, so you should take care to minimize your trace.
You can do this by rinsing the jalapenos and also washing your hands with antimicrobial soap.
Alternatively, you can put a few drops of apple cider vinegar on your hands when handling food you’ll be giving to the deer.
Another easy option is to use gloves when handling jalapeno plants for deer to eat.
Consider The Amount Of Deer You’re Feeding
If you have lots of deer in your area, think twice about putting out food continuously for them.
If you bring deer together at the same feeding site, it can increase their risk of contracting chronic wasting disease or other communicable diseases from each other.
Do Deer Eat Jalapeno Plants? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat jalapeno plants?
The answer is yes!
Although jalapeno plants aren’t a deer’s first choice, they’ll definitely eat them if they’re hungry enough.
Fortunately there are many methods you can use and combine to keep deer away from your precious jalapeno plants.
Try a few and see what works best for you.
Have any observations to add to the discussion? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Check our our other helpful wildlife guides while you’re here:
Check our our other helpful wildlife guides while you’re here: