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Animal eating petunia buds. #411266

Asked July 02, 2017, 10:32 AM EDT

An animal is eating only the buds off my wave petunias that are in large pots in my back yard. I know it's an animal because the buds on all five plants were fine at night when I watered them and in the morning they were all snapped off and gone. They were not on the ground or in the pot. They were gone. The flowers were intact, just the buds were gone. We have deer, rabbits, squirrels, field mice, voles and an occasional bear. I doubt if the smaller animals could reach the buds. Would a deer do this? If so why just the buds?

Wayne County Pennsylvania

Expert Response

Hello, and thanks for using the Ask an Expert System,

It is very likely that your petunias were eaten by deer.  Deer tend to like the young tender parts of garden plants.  If deer are hungry they will eat the foliage as well as flowers.  I used to grow day lilies that never bloomed.  I finally saw that deer were eating just the buds when they were small.

If you have additional questions you can contact Master Gardeners in your County    

Each Tuesday from 10am to 12pm, starting in April and continuing through the end of September, Master Gardeners will be on stand-by at the Wayne County Extension Office to help you.

Whether your garden is to be full of flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, or is a fruit orchard, the trained, volunteer Master Gardeners (MGs) of Wayne County can help with your questions and/or gardening problems.

Please stop by on Tuesdays from 10am - 12pm at the Penn State Extension Office, or call<personal data hidden> X 1614 and they will endeavor to help.

Wayne County Penn State Extension: 
Address: 648 Park Street, Honesdale, PA 1843
Phone:<personal data hidden>
E-mail: <personal data hidden>
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 




Dave Orbin, Penn State Master Gardner, Luzerne County Replied July 03, 2017, 8:57 AM EDT

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