Plants that are safe

[Mama_Owl_3]

I am not sure if there is a thread for this or not. But I am wondering what plants are safe to plant in and around ducks? I would like to plant a variety for color and possible shade, but I want to also make sure that they are safe.

Or is it easier to find a list of plants that are harmful and absolutely do not plant in the vicinity of my soon to be feathered babies?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Define safe:

1. Safe for the plant to not be eaten, trampled and dug out by the ducks?
2. Safe for the ducks to rip it out and swallow it hole?

Category 1 would be Basil for my ducks. They hate Basil and would not touch it
Category 2 would be Peppermint. They first eat the leaves, then the stems and finally dig up the roots and eat those too.

 

[Mama_Owl_3]

Define safe:

1. Safe for the plant to not be eaten, trampled and dug out by the ducks?
2. Safe for the ducks to rip it out and swallow it hole?

Category 1 would be Basil for my ducks. They hate Basil and would not touch it
Category 2 would be Peppermint. They first eat the leaves, then the stems and finally dig up the roots and eat those too.

Safe as in if I plant anything near them and they decide to attempt to eat it in anyway, that it isn't going to make them sick. Or kill them.

Or do I need to duck proof certain plants that may already be established in my yard, that they will have access to.

 

[katiebrock]

Safe as in if I plant anything near them and they decide to attempt to eat it in anyway, that it isn't going to make them sick. Or kill them.

Or do I need to duck proof certain plants that may already be established in my yard, that they will have access to.

You may need to duck proof some plants, they will tear them up if they find a tasty one! I like to put chicken wire around some of my potted plants that leaf or branch out a little bit so they can nibble on them but not tear them out of the ground.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Safe as in if I plant anything near them and they decide to attempt to eat it in anyway, that it isn't going to make them sick. Or kill them.

Or do I need to duck proof certain plants that may already be established in my yard, that they will have access to.

Nothing, except established shrubs and trees will withstand the power of the mighty ducks! What they cannot devour, they will either trample flat or dig out. During the first half of this year my ducks almost dug out a three year old apple tree. It is sitting on a hill-site and water was collecting around it, so the ducks started drilling holes. More water could accumulate, so they dug deeper, allowing for more water... - suddenly the tree tilted, that was when i discovered what they had done and filled up the holes around the tree with duck-compost and covered the ground with used duck bedding.
Tomato plants: Eaten including the roots. Potato plats: Stripped of all leaves, recovering. Rhubarb - trampled. Pepper plants: leaves eaten, the rest trampled flat. Peppermint and Spearmint - Hah! I have a fenced those in!
I use them to trample down the high grass, around the house so that i don't have to mow it... If you want to grow something, fence it in, ducks are like deer only sneakier.

 

[Mama_Owl_3]

Nothing, except established shrubs and trees will withstand the power of the mighty ducks! What they cannot devour, they will either trample flat or dig out. During the first half of this year my ducks almost dug out a three year old apple tree. It is sitting on a hill-site and water was collecting around it, so the ducks started drilling holes. More water could accumulate, so they dug deeper, allowing for more water... - suddenly the tree tilted, that was when i discovered what they had done and filled up the holes around the tree with duck-compost and covered the ground with used duck bedding.
Tomato plants: Eaten including the roots. Potato plats: Stripped of all leaves, recovering. Rhubarb - trampled. Pepper plants: leaves eaten, the rest trampled flat. Peppermint and Spearmint - Hah! I have a fenced those in!
I use them to trample down the high grass, around the house so that i don't have to mow it... If you want to grow something, fence it in, ducks are like deer only sneakier.

Oh my! Well I am glad I asked then, I'm currently building a new and larger raised bed for veggies and flowers. Guess I need to include fencing, reinforced, to the design with a small gate. It's going to be in the same area as the ducks and I'm pretty sure once they get used to their new digs and explore more, they'll be curious about my garden.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

My ducks live in my garden. They have grass and a mulberry bush to hide under. The rest of my plants are in raised beds surrounded by short fencing. I remove the fencing on some when the plants are big. Tomatoes, okra, peppers (they do eat a few), large vining squash, corn, and collard greens have all survived fence removal. Onions, garlic, lettuce, and peas do not survive. My sweet potato vines eventually grow out of the enclosed space and the ducks keep it trimmed. In general they don’t seem to like herbs. They usually leave my basil, cilantro, oregano, thyme, and dill alone. Here is an old picture. I have enlarged the whole space since then and grass has grown in.

 

[LilyLoo]

My duck's don't bother my plants, lucky for now I guess. It's so dry here so the drilling isn't the issue. I have lemon balm, passion flower , saliva, curry, rosemary, peppermint, oregano, sage, zinnias and marigolds so far. However recent zucchini seedlings and sunflower's gone lol. I blammed the dogs...

 

[Mama_Owl_3]

My duck's don't bother my plants, lucky for now I guess. It's so dry here so the drilling isn't the issue. I have lemon balm, passion flower , saliva, curry, rosemary, peppermint, oregano, sage, zinnias and marigolds so far. However recent zucchini seedlings and sunflower's gone lol. I blammed the dogs...

Well due to the heat that we had earlier, I lost a lot of my veggie plants, but I do have some plants that have survived. Sage, Garlic and Onion chives, rosemary, and oregano. The ducklings discovered my onion chives yesterday and I had to quickly rescue it before they stripped the poor thing. For now I have moved the plants, in pots, to a table so everything is out of reach.

Once i am done building their new home, my new veggie box is next.

 

[DuckyDonna]

My ducks live in my garden. They have grass and a mulberry bush to hide under. The rest of my plants are in raised beds surrounded by short fencing. I remove the fencing on some when the plants are big. Tomatoes, okra, peppers (they do eat a few), large vining squash, corn, and collard greens have all survived fence removal. Onions, garlic, lettuce, and peas do not survive. My sweet potato vines eventually grow out of the enclosed space and the ducks keep it trimmed. In general they don’t seem to like herbs. They usually leave my basil, cilantro, oregano, thyme, and dill alone. Here is an old picture. I have enlarged the whole space since then and grass has grown in.
View attachment 1839502

you are correct in your assesment in what the ducks will destroy. I got my first ducks to "take care of the bugs in the garden". They mostly took care of the plants in the garden.

I've got a 40' x 40' normal regular garden that has a fence but you let them in and they will destroy your garden. Yes, they will eat slugs and snails and everything else. Last fall I didn't let them in until the turnips were about 12" high and it took them about 2 minutes to pull them all up, took my cabbage plants that were the same size and ate them too. I have come to the conclusion that ducks in the seasoanl garden is a really bad idea. Once the garden is done for the season let them in and have at it but before that don't count on a good harvest.