Do Deer Eat Radishes? (Everything You Need To Know)

There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat radishes?

Deer like eating certain types of radishes, like forage radishes aka “deer radishes”, but don’t seem to like red salad radishes. Deer like eating tender greens that have plenty of nutrients, and radishes check every box.

There’s a bit more to learn about deer eating radishes which we’ll cover in today’s guide. Read on for more info.

Why Do Deer Eat Radishes?

As we covered, deer will eat radishes 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.

They love leafy greens that are well-watered and fertilized, which makes radishes a prime target for deer.

Your radishes are most susceptible to deer when there are fewer other food choices around for them, and especially when the plants are young and the plants are tender.

They especially love winter radishes because green foods are rare that time of year.

Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like radishes based on opportunity.

If you’re not convinced, leave some radishes out for deer to eat (or plant some), and wait to see what happens!

Are Radishes Deer Resistant?

Only some types of radishes are deer resistant.

Deer are attracted to radishes because of the leafy greens, high water content, nutrients, and easy availability.

It also depends on your location. Some farmers and hunters say they see deer mow down every type of radish in sight, while others tell us that deer won’t touch radishes in their area.

So it kind of depends, but generally deer go after forage radishes and deer radishes.

Red salad radishes are generally regarded as deer-resistant, but they may still browse the leafy tops of them.

Do Deer Eat Red Radishes?

Red salad radishes are generally regarded as deer-resistant, but they may still browse the leafy tops of them.

Planting Radishes For Deer Food Plots

Many hunters plant “deer radishes” (which are really forage radishes) in their food plots with a lot of success.

Ideally the deer in your area will already be used to having radishes in their diet.

If not, hold off on introducing new foods like radishes because they can interrupt their normal food search patterns and make them completely reliant on the beets as their new winter food source.

Forage radish is a great annual for food plots thanks to it’s deep taproot system which can withstand a lot of browsing from deer.

How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Radishes?

Most folks who want to know if deer like radishes are trying to attract them to their area.

If you’re on the opposite side and want to keep deer away from your radish plants, this next section in our guide is for you.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting radishes 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 Radishes Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?

So a hungry deer snuck in your garden and had a feast on your radishes. Will they grow back?

Radishes can handle some damage from deer, provided that it’s still got 1-2” left from the base of the plant.

Radishes are a taproot, meaning that the main portion (the vegetable) as well as the root system is quite hardy.

Unless a deer rips the entire plant out of the ground, your radishes should grow back with time.

Are Radishes Good For Deer To Eat?

Radishes contain highly digestible fiber, water, and a good bit of carbs and protein, so they attract deer easily.

Feeding deer radishes provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin C
Calcium
Iron
Potassium
Manganese

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.

Deer need calcium for bone, teeth, and antler growth and health as well as other bodily functions like milk production and metabolism.

Potassium is great for deer because it helps maintain good pH balance and aid in proper digestion.

Manganese assists deer in growth, respiration, and reproduction.

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 calcium content from deer eating radishes 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 radishes for the vitamin C content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.

Can I Feed Radishes To Deer?

Feeding deer foods like radishes occasionally is fine, as it is viewed as a rare treat and the deer will really enjoy it!

Feeding wild deer radishes regularly poses a few problems, however.

Here’s why you shouldn’t feed radishes to deer often.

Deer Need To Rely On Nature For Food

If you feed deer continuously, they may start relying on that food source, which will cause them to stop foraging in nature for foods that they need to survive.

Natural Foods Are Naturally Better For Deer

Feeding deer foods like radishes can alter their diet significantly, depending on what you’re feeding them, increasing the chance of malnourishment.

Deer Should Have A Healthy Fear Of Humans

Second, it reduces a deer’s natural fear of humans, which can shorten their lifespan or put them in danger.

You May Attract Other (Unwanted) Wildlife

Putting extra food out for deer can also attract predators like coyotes, wolves, or mountain lions to the area, which put the deer (and potentially you) at risk.

You Can Increase The Transmission Of Diseases

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.

How To Feed Radishes To Deer

Most gardeners and veggie growers want to keep deer away from their radishes.

If you have extra radishes or are looking to see if you can feed radishes to deer in your backyard, this next part is for you.

There are a few things to keep in mind when feeding deer radishes: the size of the portion and your scent.

Make sure to place the radishes on the ground where they’re visible and can be easily reached by deer.

If you’ve got a winter food plot with radishes 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 Radishes For Deer To Eat?

Deer are used to eating leafy greens like radishes and the plant is also very tender, so you do not need to cut up or shred radishes when feeding them to deer.

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 radishes 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 radishes 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 radishes for deer to eat.

Consider The Amount Of Deer You’re Feeding