Ducks are a fun animal to view and even more exciting to own. If you are interested in getting ducks for yourself and have a garden, you might wonder how the creatures will behave around the plants. Will ducks eat your garden, or is it safe to leave your vegetables unattended with the animals?
Although ducks may eat and trample seedlings, they generally will not eat your garden. Still, it may be necessary to defend certain plants from their feet if you place them in the same vicinity.
If you’re interested in learning more about ducks and their taste, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about ducks eating plants, if they will eat tomato plants, and which greens ducks will leave alone. The more prepared you are, the better your animals and plants can coexist.
Will Ducks Eat Your Vegetable Garden?
Chickens are known for their destructive nature in gardens, but ducks have the opposite impact. Most have no desire to eat your plants, so ducks in a vegetable garden should pose no trouble for the average gardener. However, they will eat strawberry plants and lettuce greens.
Although ducks won’t eat your vegetable garden, there is still a chance for destruction via trampling. When ducks walk, they won’t care to step around fresh baby plants.
If you have a baby growth you don’t want to be eaten or stepped on, ensure you take defensive measures to provide the plant with a shield to have a long life.
Most of the time, ducks prefer to munch on the bugs in your garden. They can help your plants thrive by eating the bugs and providing fertilizer when they go to the bathroom. Still, you may want to take precautions if you have delicate plants.
Here’s a video showing how to use ducks to help your garden clean up:
How Do I Keep Ducks From Eating My Plants?
If you want to take care and ensure ducks will stay out of your garden, there are a few tactics you can try. These will help your ducks and plants coexist while providing peace of mind that your hard work won’t be destroyed by duck feet and beaks.
Here are a few of the best ways to keep ducks from eating your plants:
- Grow large perennials: Perennial plants are taller and sturdier. They are more likely to survive ducks than smaller annual plants.
- Use fencing: Fencing will keep ducks out of an area without too much additional spending and effort.
- Limit access to landscaping: If you’ve taken the time to landscape and create a beautiful space, prevent the ducks from accessing it with fences and gates.
- Place mindful water: Ducks bathe in the dust and water. If you put their pool too close to your garden, they may cause a disturbance in the soil.
- Use mulch: This material helps make good soil and will prevent the ducks from ripping up the layers underneath.
These should keep the eager animals at bay.
The best thing you can do is to observe the habits of your ducks. You can determine what they do in a day and if they seem like they want to eat plants or walk through beds. There is still risk with some of your precious plants.
Check out these Duck Feeders and Duck Pellets found on Amazon, along with a couple Toys for Ducks and you’ll have some very happy ducks. And happy ducks make for better tasting eggs.
Will Ducks Eat Tomato Plants?
Tomato fruits are delicious. Ducks love the taste, and many owners use the food as a treat for their animals. If you have a lot of tomato plants, you might wonder if your ducks will munch on them.
Ducks typically will not eat tomato plants, though some have in the past. They are more interested in the fruit on the plant than the greens and other parts.
It’s critical to note that tomatoes are part of the nightshade family. Although the fruits are safe, every other part of the plant is toxic to the duck. They can eat the tomato without harm, but you should keep them away from the stem, leaves, plants, vines, and unripe fruits.
Ducks typically will not eat tomato plants. Still, for their safety, keep them away as much as possible. It could kill them. Now, what other plants will ducks leave along?
What Plants Will Ducks Leave Alone?
If you want to plant a duck-proof garden, it helps to know what plants ducks will leave alone. Are there any vegetation options they won’t eat?
Here are a few plants ducks will leave alone:
- Lady fern
- Water canna
- Broadleaf cattail
- Creeping burrhead
- Rose mallow
They don’t like these.
Of course, these plants are relatively obscure for the average garden. You’re better off putting up fences and other items if you want to keep ducks away from your plants.
Is Duck Poop Good For Gardens?
One of the best parts about letting your ducks roam through your gardens is that the poop is good for your plants. It’s full of incredible benefits and comes at no extra cost to you. All you have to do is get your ducks to defecate among your plants.
Here are a few reasons duck poop is so ideal for gardens:
- Trace minerals: These provide a healthy environment for the plants.
- Phosphorus and potassium: These keep plants strong and healthy.
- Nitrogen: This item helps ensure there is plenty of energy for the plant.
These will keep your plants healthy and thriving.
It can be tricky to determine how to get your ducks to poop in your garden instead of water. Once you do, your garden will benefit.
Final Thoughts
Ducks are fun to own, but there is a chance they will eat your garden. It’s best to put fencing around delicate and special plants while leaving the others free to be fertilized with duck manure. There is risk and reward with roaming ducks in a garden.
We hope this information was helpful! The more you know about ducks, the better your gardening experience can be. Some may be up for having both at the same time, while others may not enjoy that challenge. The choice is yours.