Will hostas grow back after being eaten by deer?

Deer have a voracious appetite for hostas and will eat them right down to the ground. This can be very discouraging for gardeners who have spent time and money planting and caring for hostas. The good news is that with a little patience and care, hostas often do grow back after being eaten by deer.

Quick answers

Yes, hostas can grow back after being eaten by deer if the root system is still intact. It may take several seasons for the hostas to fully recover depending on how extensive the damage was.

Do hostas grow back after being eaten by deer?

Hostas are quite resilient plants and can regenerate from their root system as long as it is still alive and healthy. Here is a quick overview:

• If the deer eat the leaves but do not dig up the roots, the hosta will likely grow back the same season. New leaves will emerge from the undamaged crown.
• If the deer eat both the leaves and the crown, regrowth may be delayed until the next spring when new eyes emerge from the roots and shoots come up.
• If the deer dig up and eat the roots, regeneration will be much slower since the root system needs to re-establish itself. It may take 2-3 years for the hosta to fully recover.

So in summary, as long as the root system was not completely destroyed by the deer, there is a good chance the hostas will eventually grow back, though it may take patience over multiple seasons.

Factors that affect regrowth

How well and how quickly hostas regenerate depends on several factors:

• Extent of damage – Hostas with leaves nibbled but intact roots recover quickest. Plants eaten to the ground take longer. Destroyed roots take years to regrow.
• Overall health – Hostas that were healthy and robust before being eaten have the reserves to regrow faster than stressed or diseased plants.
• Growing conditions – Hostas in rich, moist soil with some shade recover quicker than those in poor, dry, or overly sunny sites.
• Variety – Some hosta varieties are intrinsically more vigorous and resilient than others.
• Time of damage – Hostas eaten early in spring have more recovery time before winter dormancy.

Encouraging regrowth after deer damage

Here are some tips to help your eaten hostas regenerate:

• Leave the roots undisturbed – Don’t dig up the remaining roots or crown after deer feeding.
• Keep watering during dry periods so roots don’t die.
• Add a thin layer of compost or rotted manure around damaged plants to encourage new growth.
• Cut back any ragged remaining leaves to improve appearance.
• Be patient and wait for eyes to emerge from the roots and crown. This can take many months.
• Fertilize sparingly with a balanced organic fertilizer to aid recovery without excessive top growth.

Protecting hostas from deer

While hostas will often regenerate after deer damage, prevention is always preferable. Here are some techniques to deter deer from eating hostas in the first place:

• Install physical barriers like fences, netting, or chicken wire cages around plants.
• Use motion-activated sprinklers and lights.
• Apply commercial repellent sprays based on rotten eggs, hot peppers, or soap.
• Scatter human hair, pet fur, bars of deodorant soap around the garden.
• Allow family dogs access to the yard to scare deer with their scent.
• Plant heavily-scented flowers, herbs, and vegetables among hostas to obscure their taste.

When to give up on eaten hostas

While patience is key when hostas are eaten back, there comes a point where regrowth is unlikely:

• No new shoots emerge after 2-3 years.
• You dig up the plant and find no viable roots remaining.
• The variety was weak to begin with and unlikely to recover.
• You replant in the same spot and new plants are immediately eaten.

At this point, it may be best to remove the remains, improve the soil, and choose a new type of planting that is less appetizing to deer.

Choosing deer-resistant hosta varieties

Some types of hostas are less appealing to deer thanks to their texture, taste, or fragrance. These include:

Hosta Variety	Characteristics
Gold Standard	Thick, slug-like leaves with strong odor
Halcyon	Blue-green color, somewhat bitter taste
Invincible	Thick leaves with mild, unpleasant flavor
sieboldiana ‘Elegans’	Large, slug-ish leaves, mildly toxic

Planting these more deer-resistant varieties can be a good strategy for gardens with high deer pressure. However, keep in mind that hungry deer may still sample and damage them.

Replanting eaten hostas

If your hostas have been devastated by deer, you may want to replant with a different genus, or choose deer-resistant companion plants. Some options include:

• Ornamental grasses like miscanthus, pennisetum, or stipa
• Sedges like Carex or Uncinia
• Ferns like athyrium, dryopteris, or matteuccia
• Astilbe, bergenia, heuchera (coral bells)
• Bee balm, black-eyed susan, lavender, salvia
• Daffodils, lilies, iris, allium

Mixing up heights, colors, and textures can create an appealing tapestry that minimizes large swaths of appetizing hostas. Just be sure to research any new plants for deer resistance as well.

Establishing hostas after deer damage

When replanting hostas after deer damage, give them the best chance of survival and minimal deer interest:

• Choose larger potted hostas rather than bare roots plants.
• Amend soil with compost to improve nutrients and moisture retention.
• Consider raised beds with hardware cloth on bottom to deter rooting deer.
• Water thoroughly after planting and mulch to retain moisture.
• Use repellent sprays for first few weeks until plants establish.
• Plant near herbs, vegetables, or flowers as sacrificial decoys.

With persistence and patience, hostas can once again become a vibrant part of your garden even after deer damage. A multi-pronged approach of protection, replanting resistant varieties, and encouraging regrowth can outwit these hungry garden pests.

Conclusion

Hostas are remarkably resilient plants that can regenerate even after extensive deer grazing. As long as some root system remains intact, the hostas will send up new growth, though it may take several seasons to reach their former size. Using防deer tactics, replanting resistant varieties, and providing good care can help eaten hostas reestablish. With some perseverance, hostas and deer can coexist in the landscape.