Deer resistant fruit trees for the South

General Fruit Growing
1

I planted fruit trees in my front yard which gets a lot of deer in it. I have a fenced backyard that I will be planting trees in as well but it wasn’t ready this spring because of grading.

Deer seem to leave alone:
Fig Bushes
Persimmon
Goumi

Deer might be eating a little bit:
Rabbiteye Blueberries

Deer really like:
Mulberry (Girardi)
Sour Cherry
Serviceberry
Jujube (Li and Sugarcane)

Unknown:
Paw Paw (they are protected because so small now)

I think I will have to move all the “really like” varieties to the fenced back since they are dwarf varieties or I plan on keeping them small.

What else could I plant in my front that they will mostly leave alone? I’m going to add more RE Blueberries in the fall debating whether to add another row in front yard or use space in back yard which I’d rather not. Curious how other peoples Rabbiteyes withstand deer pressure.

2

I left a Paw Paw unprotected because I thought deer wouldn’t bother them. It took them longer to get to the Paw Paw than other fruit trees, but they eventually got to it. I’m in the north, maybe they were more desperate for food here. To be safe, I would spray them occasionally with a deer repellent spray. Most of these sprays are natural and non-toxic. They just smell bad.

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3

Gooseberries and currants usually escape the deer.

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