By Jennifer Poindexter
When we first moved to our farm, we noticed there were a variety of plants grown in unlikely places by the previous owner.
It wasn’t until we found his birdhouses made out of gourds that we realized why he’d created the landscape he did.
It was with the intention of inviting certain wildlife. Over the years, we’ve added more and have managed to become a haven for deer.
It’s beautiful sitting on our back porch on summer evenings and watching deer come up to our pasture fence.
We love watching them graze on some of the trees in the back portion of our property, and it’s funny to watch our goats eye them in shock and awe.
If you’re interested in making your home a welcoming spot for wildlife, here’s a quick tip on what to plant.
Quick Tip: Grow Specific Plants to Invite More Wildlife to Your Property
Some people want to plant items around their property to observe nature. Others grow food plots for hunting purposes.
Whatever your goals, consider adding a few of the following plants to your landscape:
· Clover
· Wheat
· Chokecherries
· Alfalfa
· Corn
Some of these options serve as good cover crops for your garden. Clover, wheat, and sunflowers fall into this category, but they’re also great for attracting deer.
Other options include elderberries and chokecherries. I grow these as part of my landscape. The birds love them as they serve as a steady food source.
Alfalfa, corn, and green beans are more good options which are known for being favorites of deer. I have a herd of deer which live in the woods behind our home.
It’s common for the mothers and babies to graze in our garden, and they love the green beans. Some people would try to fight this. I just plant extra because I love watching them on summer evenings. I feel it’s a fair trade.
Lastly, honeysuckle and Virginia creeper are great plants to have around as they’re also a source of food and shelter. They both produce berries which feed squirrels, birds, and deer. Plus, they produce foliage which serve as a home to small birds.
These are a few plants to have around your home which serve as a source of food and shelter to the wildlife in your area.
By providing a landscape which meets the needs of the animals, you should attract them to the area. Take these plants into consideration to invite more wildlife to your home.
More About Attracting Wildlife
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/landscaping-for-wildlife-with-native-plants
https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/sp_faq/how-do-i-attract-wildlife-to-my-backyard/
https://news.umich.edu/wildlife-in-your-back-yard-naturally/
Honeysuckle and Virginia Creeper vines are appropriate only in a large acreage setting, away from desirable plants. We planted a small honeysuckle “bush” and it took over a large area in our small back yard. The Virginia Creeper was already here, and is hard to kill among other plants.