There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat. One common question is: do deer eat tomatoes?
Yes, deer love to eat tomatoes and tomato plants. Deer eat between 5 and 15 pounds of plants each day including tomatoes for vitamins and minerals which are beneficial to deer survival.
There’s a bit more to learn about deer eating tomatoes which we’ll cover in today’s guide. Read on for more info.
Why Do Deer Eat Tomatoes?
As we covered, deer like to eat tomatoes when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Tomatoes are a type of vegetable that is easily accessible, soft, and high in nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like tomatoes based on opportunity.
Tomatoes attract deer because they grow on the vine low to the ground so they’re easy to access.
Tomato plants also offer many different parts for the deer to eat: the tomatoes themselves, the leaves, and even the stalk or vines of the plant.
There are no thorns or other deterrents to keep the deer from eating them, so they will have a feast if they find tomato plants.
In fact, some people specifically choose to grow tomatoes as part of their food plots to attract deer.
If you’re not convinced, leave some tomatoes out for deer to eat (or plant some), and wait to see what happens!
Do Deer Eat Tomatoes Off The Vine?
Yes they do, and it’s one of their favorite parts.
Deer are not shy about eating what they want, even if you’ve put in plenty of hard work growing your tomatoes, so it’s important to take precautions to keep the deer away.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Tomato Plants?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting tomato 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.
What Kinds Of Tomatoes Do Deer Eat?
Deer will eat all kinds of tomatoes, including beefsteak, campari, pear, plum, salad, grape, and cherry tomatoes.
It doesn’t matter if they’re bush tomatoes or vining tomatoes, deer love them all.
Whatever kind of tomatoes you have, you’re well advised to take precautions to keep deer from eating them!
Will My Tomatoes Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, mature tomatoes can withstand some nipping from deer, and will recover with time.
As long as the deer don’t eat them all the way to the ground, they’ll usually recover.
Tomatoes can regenerate by growing another main stem from what’s referred to as a “sucker”.
If deer happen to munch down your tomatoes, continue regular care of your plants including watering and fertilizer as necessary until they’re back to good health.
Are Tomatoes Good For Deer?
Yes, tomatoes are very healthy for deer to eat.
Feeding deer tomatoes provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin A
- B Vitamins (B1, B3, B5, B6, & B7)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
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.
Magnesium helps with antler growth, increasing body weight, and has immune system benefits for deer.
A 2007 study showed that zinc can assist in growing larger antler sizes in white-tailed deer.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Tomatoes 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 tomatoes can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
Water-Soluble Vitamins In Tomatoes 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 tomatoes for the vitamin C or potassium content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
How To Feed Deer Tomatoes
There are a few things to keep in mind when you feed tomatoes to deer: the size of the portion, your scent, and how many deer you’re feeding.
Make sure to place the tomatoes on the ground where they’re visible and can be easily reached by deer.
If you’ve got a winter food plot with tomatoes or a tomato plants growing in it, the deer will eat them right off the vine.
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 Tomatoes For Deer To Eat?
Tomatoes are soft and deer can easily eat them if they’re not cut, so either way is fine.
You can cut tomatoes into slices or cubes to make them easier for the deer to eat if you prefer.
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 tomatoes 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 outsides of tomatoes 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 tomatoes 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.
Can Deer Eat Tomatoes? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat tomatoes and tomato plants?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat tomatoes if they’re available, and they can actually benefit from the vitamins and minerals found in them.
Just be sure to take care with your scent, the size of the portion, and how many deer you’re feeding when placing tomatoes out for them.
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: