Native Plants

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Monday - May 18, 2009

From: Granbury, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Is it deer or ducks eating plants in Granbury, TX?
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I have some salvia and coreopsis that were recently beheaded along with some blooms on Knockout roses. I had just recently put out some Deerscram, but we've had some ducks visiting recently. Could the ducks have been the culprits? If so, what do I do to keep them away?

ANSWER:

Ducks like young plants in particular; so, if you can protect plants until they have matured a bit it is more likely that the ducks will leave them alone. Also, ample supplies of sedges and grasses could divert the ducks from more decorative plants. We heard of a contraption that would startle the ducks away from this About.com:Landscaping website Scarecrow sprinklers. Since we don't get many ducks in gardens around Austin, we have not talked to anyone who actually uses it.