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Garden Clinic garden

Who knew deer liked okra?

3 years ago

I've been growing okra for several years since it seems to do well in my hot summers and doesn't have much disease and pest problems. Last week something ate all the upper leaves off the plants, and they are 5'+ high at this time of year. I figure a deer must have strolled through the yard and taken a liking to them.

Amazingly they are still producing and growing leaves back too.

Since this is the Clinic, I'll also say that some of the bottom leaves have been drying up and falling off as they grow taller. I don't know if that's lack of nitrogen or...? Any okra experts here?

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Comments (10)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
Let me just say that the deer are more than welcome to my share :-) Okra, much like slugs or snails, is one of those organisms that I just have to question need for in life. IMO, it is not suited for human consumption and ya gotta wonder about that brave soul who first tasted okra and thought........."hmmm, this is a tasty, if slimy, green pod"!! They must have been starving!

In fact, I harbor a secret hypothesis that okra, slugs and snails are all somehow related........... :-)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
and for a nickle.. she will tell you how she really feels about it .....
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Rekha A 9a Houston area
3 years ago
There are some indian recipes with okra that are yummy. No sliminess at all :)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
i work under the belief.. that if the vermin [of any kind] ..... are hungry enough ... they will eat just about anything ....

but in my MI .. thats more of a winter thing.. i would be surprised this time of year .... they would be so food stressed ... meaning.. they dont have any alternatives ...

though we might be in denial ... it is October ... and the plants are either going to die soon [annuals/tender perennials] ... or are shutting down for winter ... whatever that is where ever you are ...

it is not really a time to be thinking that you have some soil deficiency ... that needs to be addressed ...

annuals dont need anything for winter ... and you can do more harm than good.. fert'g perennials ... when they should be slowing down ...

ken
Embothrium
3 years ago
Deer sample newly encountered plants that they may not return to later.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
In my area, deer are much more aggressive grazers on landscape or garden plantings during the growing season. I see them much less often and notice no appreciable damage in winter so assume they are getting what they want out of the native vegetation that surrounds me.
Elaine Ricci
3 years ago
I happily eat both okra and escargots.
toxcrusadr
Original Author
3 years ago
>> Deer sample newly encountered plants that they may not return to later.

If they had only sampled them, fine, but they ate the entire salad bar. I think in about 2-3 visits.

It's going to frost tomorrow night so I didn't lose much production, but they were going gangbusters before this happened.

BTW I pickle most of my okra and it's not slimy that way. Besides it's one of the few things I can grow in my disease and pest-ridden neighborhood. :-\
Embothrium
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
notice no appreciable damage in winter so assume they are getting what they want out of the native vegetation that surrounds me

Actually, the widespread - including in our region - chronic problem with them hitting planted arborvitaes hard during part of the year is due to them routinely running out of natural food sources during northern winters.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
"Actually, the widespread - including in our region - chronic problem with them hitting planted arborvitaes hard during part of the year is due to them routinely running out of natural food sources during northern winters."

Since the deer around me graze on arborvitaes just as heavily in midsummer as they do in midwinter, I hardly think the lack of other food sources is to blame. And there is certainly no lack of food sources here in midwinter either......elsewhere in the country with colder, harder winters and less natural vegetation, perhaps. Deer just like what they like and seek out those delicacies where they find them.

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