Do Deer Eat Cabbage? What Really Happens to Your Garden Explained

If you’ve ever walked out to your garden in the morning and found your cabbage leaves ragged, torn, and half missing, you’re definitely not alone. Many gardeners ask the same simple but frustrating question: do deer eat cabbage? And here’s the thing — the short answer is yes, they really do. Cabbage is actually one of their favorite snacks, especially when your garden is easy to access.

But don’t worry. By the end of this guide, you’ll understand why deer love cabbage, what else they eat, how to tell if they’ve been visiting, and most importantly, what you can do to protect your garden without feeling overwhelmed.

Let’s walk through it together, like two friends chatting beside your raised beds.

Snippet-Ready Definition:

Yes, deer do eat cabbage, and they enjoy the leaves, seedlings, and developing heads. Cabbage is soft, sweet, and easy for deer to chew, making it one of their favorite garden vegetables.

Short Mission Statement:

Our mission is to help home gardeners protect their vegetables with simple, practical, and wildlife-friendly advice. We aim to give clear, experience-backed guidance so you can grow healthy cabbage without worrying about deer damage.

Quick Answer — Why Deer Love Cabbage So Much

Here’s the simple truth: cabbage is like salad candy for deer. It’s soft, watery, easy to chew, and full of mild sweetness. Deer naturally go for tender, leafy plants with high moisture because they digest them easily and don’t need to waste energy chewing tough stalks.

The best part is… cabbage fits all those needs perfectly.

On top of that, deer can eat several pounds of vegetation in a single day. So if a hungry deer (or worse, a small herd) walks through your garden at night, your cabbage can go from “healthy and thriving” to “completely gone” before sunrise.

Quick Comparison / Fast Facts Table

Question	Short Answer	Helpful Notes
Do deer eat cabbage?	Yes	They eat leaves, heads, and young plants.
Do deer eat other brassicas?	Yes	Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and sprouts.
When do deer eat cabbage most?	Summer & Winter	Winter browsing increases due to low food.
How to protect cabbage?	Fencing + repellents	Netting, scents, and companion plants help.
Do deer eat cooked cabbage?	Sometimes	Not recommended to feed — can be harmful.

Quick Step-by-Step Guide: How to Protect Cabbage From Deer

1. Start with barriers
   Use netting or a simple mesh cage around cabbage plants.
2. Add scent-based repellents
   Try garlic or egg sprays and rotate brands every few weeks.
3. Use motion tools
   Sprinklers or solar lights help stop nighttime browsing.
4. Try companion planting
   Plant onions, garlic, rosemary or sage around cabbage.
5. Keep cabbage closer to the house
   Deer avoid high-activity spots near doorways and patios.

Understanding Deer Diets And How Cabbage Fits In

Deer are opportunistic eaters. That means they’ll nibble whatever’s available — trees, shrubs, fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs — you name it. In the wild, they eat twigs, leaves, grasses, acorns and buds. But once they discover a garden, they quickly realize it’s a buffet of tender, nutrient-rich greens.

Cabbage fits right into the category of “soft, juicy, leafy food” that deer naturally prefer. It’s similar to other veggies they enjoy like lettuce, carrots tops, broccoli leaves, cauliflower leaves, and kale.

And guess what? Deer don’t care whether your cabbage is a spring planting or a late fall crop. If it’s fresh, reachable, and tender — it’s fair game to them.

What Parts Of Cabbage Do Deer Eat?

Cabbage Leaves, Heads, Seedlings And Stems

If deer find your garden, they won’t be picky. They’ll go for:

• Tender seedlings
  • Outer leaves
  • Developing cabbage heads
  • Even the softer parts of stems

Because deer lack upper front teeth, they tear rather than cut cleanly. That’s why deer damage looks ragged, ripped and uneven, not like the neat cuts you see from rabbits or snails.

Seedlings are usually the first victims — deer often snip them off right at the soil line. Growing cabbage heads may be half-missing, with large chunks torn out.

Do Deer Eat Cabbage Leaves, Cabbage Hearts And Ornamental Cabbage?

Yes, to all three.

If you grow decorative cabbage or flowering kale in beds or containers, deer see them as just another version of the same tasty plant. Ornamental types have slightly tougher leaves, but they’re still edible and often eaten in winter when food is scarce.

Do Deer Eat Cabbage In Winter Or Only In Growing Season?

Here’s something most gardeners don’t realize: winter makes deer less picky.

Cabbage is a cool-weather vegetable, so many gardeners keep it in the ground into late fall or even early winter. Meanwhile, deer have fewer natural foods available — meaning your winter cabbage suddenly becomes very appealing.

So yes, deer definitely eat cabbage in the winter. In fact, winter is when they may cause the most consistent damage, especially if snow covers other vegetation.

Do Deer Eat Cooked Cabbage Or Kitchen Scraps?

Technically, deer can eat cooked cabbage, but it’s not good for them and it’s not something you should offer intentionally.

Cooked cabbage may contain:

• Salt
  • Oils
  • Butter
  • Seasonings
  • Spices

These can upset a deer’s stomach or attract them unnaturally close to your home. Feeding deer kitchen scraps can also make them dependent on human food, which wildlife experts strongly discourage.

So, while deer might sniff or nibble cooked cabbage if they find it, it’s much better not to put any scraps outdoors.

Other Vegetables Deer Eat Along With Cabbage

Let’s quickly run through the vegetables deer are commonly known to eat. This also helps explain why your garden might be targeted over and over.

Brassica Veggies: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale & More

Cabbage belongs to the Brassica family — the same group as:

• Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Kale
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Collard greens
  • Cauliflower leaves (one of their favorites)

So if you’re wondering:

• do deer eat broccoli?
  • do deer eat cauliflower?
  • do deer eat kale?
  • do deer eat cauliflower leaves?

The answer is yes — they love them as much as cabbage.

Salad Greens — Lettuce, Carrots & Leafy Plants

Deer also enjoy:

• Lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Beet tops
  • Chard
  • Carrot tops

So if you asked:

• do deer eat lettuce?
  • do deer eat carrots?

Yep — these are popular picks too.

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Potatoes & Other Veggies

Now here’s the interesting part: deer don’t prefer these, but they’ll still eat them if they’re hungry:

• Tomatoes (mostly leaves, sometimes fruit)
  • Cucumbers (despite prickly leaves)
  • Potatoes (mainly foliage, not tubers)

So yes:

• do deer eat tomatoes?
  • do deer eat cucumbers?
  • do deer eat potatoes?

They can — especially in late summer or winter when other options run low.

Is It A Good Idea To Feed Deer Cabbage On Purpose?

It might feel tempting, especially if you enjoy seeing deer around. But feeding deer intentionally — even healthy veggies like cabbage — isn’t recommended.

Here’s why:

• It makes them lose fear of your yard
  • It increases the chance your garden will be destroyed
  • It attracts more deer, leading to overgrazing
  • It can spread diseases in crowded feeding spots

The best approach is: enjoy watching deer from a distance, but don’t encourage them to rely on your garden for food.

How To Tell If Deer Are Eating Your Cabbage (Signs You Should Look For)

Before blaming deer, it’s important to confirm the signs. Here’s a quick checklist:

1. Torn, ragged leaf edges
   Deer don’t have upper incisors, so they tear leaves unevenly.
2. Damage around knee height
   Most bites appear 1.5 to 3 feet above the ground.
3. Hoof prints and small trails
   Their hoofprints look like pointed heart shapes.
4. Pellet-like droppings
   Small, oval, dark brown pellets are a clear giveaway.

Once you recognize these signs, you’ll be able to spot deer activity immediately.

Best Ways To Protect Cabbage From Deer

Physical Barriers & Fencing That Actually Work

If you want a solution that works almost every time, fencing is the top option:

• A 7–8 ft tall deer fence around your garden
  • Shorter mesh/netting directly over cabbage rows
  • Double fencing if you live in a high-deer area

Even placing simple netting over raised beds can stop browsing entirely.

Sprays, Smells & Motion Deterrents

Repellents are helpful — especially when used regularly.

You can try:

• Commercial deer repellent sprays
  • Homemade garlic/egg sprays
  • Motion-activated sprinklers
  • Solar-powered lights

Rotate repellents every few weeks so deer don’t get used to them.

Smart Garden Design & Companion Planting

Here’s a trick many gardeners swear by:

• Grow cabbage closer to your house
  • Surround cabbage beds with herbs like mint, rosemary, sage or thyme
  • Plant onions, garlic and leeks as natural deterrents

These strong scents make deer think twice before entering.

Deer-Resistant Vegetables And Plants To Grow With Cabbage

While no plant is 100% deer-proof, these are far less likely to be eaten:

• Onions
  • Garlic
  • Leeks
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Lavender
  • Sage
  • Marigolds

You can plant them around your cabbage to create a natural protection barrier.

Extra Tips For Small Gardens, Raised Beds & Urban Yards

If you’re growing cabbage in tight spaces, here are some friendly tips:

• Use hoop tunnels with mesh over raised beds
  • Try container cabbage on balconies or patios
  • Add small wire cages around each plant early in the season
  • Close garden gates at night — deer are nighttime visitors

A little bit of prevention makes a huge difference.

Conclusion — Protecting Your Cabbage Without Stressing About Deer

So yes — deer absolutely eat cabbage, and they enjoy it just as much as broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and other soft veggies in your garden. But the good news is, once you understand their behavior, it becomes much easier to stop the damage.

With the right mix of fencing, smart planting, repellents and simple daily garden checks, you can grow healthy cabbage without constantly worrying about deer wandering in.

Think of it like gardening with wildlife instead of fighting them — you’re creating a balance where your plants stay safe and the deer stay wild.

FAQs

1. Will deer eat raw cabbage?

Yes, deer prefer raw cabbage because it’s soft, juicy, and easy to chew. They usually eat the outer leaves, new growth, and even whole cabbage heads if they’re hungry.

2. What is deer’s favorite vegetable?

Deer love tender, moisture-rich vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, carrots, broccoli leaves, cauliflower leaves, kale, beans, and other leafy greens. Cabbage ranks high on their preferred list.

3. Does any wildlife eat cabbage?

Yes. Besides deer, rabbits, groundhogs, insects, caterpillars, and slugs also eat cabbage. The difference is that deer leave ragged, torn bites, while smaller animals leave cleaner edges or holes.

4. What should I not feed deer?

Avoid feeding deer anything salty, seasoned, cooked, moldy, or processed. Bread, chips, cooked cabbage, fruit scraps, or kitchen leftovers can upset their digestive system and make them dependent on human food.

5. Do deer eat cabbage in winter?

Absolutely. In winter, deer have fewer natural food sources, so cabbage becomes one of their go-to choices if it’s still growing in your garden.

Disclaimer:

This article is for general gardening information only and shouldn’t be taken as professional wildlife management advice. Deer behavior varies by region, season, and local food availability. Always follow local regulations when using fencing, repellents, or wildlife-related tools.