April Fools

Crop planning for happy & healthy deer

The deer population in New York State is around 1 million and growing by 4% each year. The state allows hunting during mating season in autumn to control populations. In order to make hunting easier, some outdoors enthusiasts plant plots of food to entice deer to follow a convenient path for hunting.

It is illegal to scatter corn or other treats to lure them in, but acceptable to plant crops that they do enjoy. Most hunters grow buckwheat for early spring feasts, then focus on hardier crops such as turnips or daikon radish after frost. In between, flower farmers have a duty to supply these glorious animals with a well-balanced, nutritional diet during the spring and summer months.

Deer seek three things: food, water and shelter. By providing a yummy salad bar of options near a wooded area, you have created 4-star accommodations. This is especially convenient for pregnant does. These plots then offer a family-friendly option for feeding their fawns.

To understand which flowers deer prefer, visit Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance shared by Rutgers University’s New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. The list is a continuum of rarely damaged to frequently severely damaged options.

Planting flowers that received the “D” rating (indicating most delicious to deer) is easy following a simple crop plan. Tulip bulbs planted in autumn offer deer a tasty treat in April and May. As most flower farmers grow these bulbs in patches at very close spacing, thousands can be planted in a very small area.

Starting Canterbury bells (Campanula) inside and transplanting out early May allows deer to walk around less delectable options in June into July. Sea holly (Eryngium) also offers an unexpected treat disguised as a thistle-like plant. Amaranth succession planted in late May into June provides a steady diet of a healthy grain. As a cut-and-come-again plant, they bounce back easily, offering months of feeding opportunities. Growing perennial hardy geraniums helps fill in early and late in the season.

The beginning of bow season corresponds to the first frost date for most of us. So if we have done our foodservice jobs properly, the deer will stay in that area through the season.

(Credit to hunting enthusiast and deer plot planter Steve Goodemoot for some of these tips!)

This was just a joke. Please don't feed your deer tulips and other high value cut flowers.

Originally published by Country Folks April 1, 2025

https://countryfolks.com/some-april-fools-fun-for-2025/