Buckwheat seems naturally less appealing to deer, at least in my experience. I didn't use fencing or repellents around mine, and they mostly ignored it. Maybe the texture or taste isn't their favorite...either way, it worked out better than peas did!
I've noticed the same thing about buckwheat. Deer around here usually go nuts for anything green, but they barely touched mine last summer. Funny enough, they demolished my neighbor's beans just a few yards away...go figure. Maybe it's the bitterness or something? Either way, I'm sticking with buckwheat again this year—less hassle and it actually improved my soil quite a bit. Peas were tasty but definitely more trouble than they're worth with deer around.
"Either way, I'm sticking with buckwheat again this year—less hassle and it actually improved my soil quite a bit."
Totally agree with you on buckwheat being a solid choice. I've had similar experiences—deer seem to steer clear of mine too, but they'll happily munch on everything else nearby. Honestly, the soil improvement alone makes it worth planting again. Plus, it's pretty low-maintenance compared to peas or beans. If you're looking for another deer-resistant cover crop, maybe try hairy vetch? Worked wonders for me last season...
Buckwheat is great, no doubt, but I wouldn't completely write off peas or beans just yet. Last year, I experimented with field peas as a cover crop, and honestly, it turned out better than expected. Sure, they're a bit fussier at first, but once established, they really took off and added a ton of nitrogen back into the soil. My tomatoes this season are thriving like never before, and I'm pretty sure that's why.
Funny you mention deer resistance though—I must have some weird deer around here because they didn't seem interested in my peas at all. Maybe they had tastier options nearby? Who knows. But I did notice the rabbits were a different story... had to put up some temporary fencing to keep them from feasting.
Hairy vetch sounds intriguing, but I've heard mixed things about it being a bit invasive if you're not careful. Did you have any trouble managing it? I love the idea of trying new cover crops, but after my experience with mint (still pulling that stuff out years later...), I'm a little cautious about anything that might spread aggressively.
Anyway, buckwheat's definitely a solid choice—especially if you're looking for something quick and easy—but don't discount legumes entirely. They might surprise you.
Interesting points about legumes, but honestly, my experience with peas was a bit different. I tried them two seasons ago, and while they did add nitrogen, the hassle factor was pretty high for me. Between rabbits treating my garden like an all-you-can-eat buffet and the plants themselves struggling to get established in our clay-heavy soil, it felt like more trouble than it was worth.
Funny you mention hairy vetch—I gave that a shot last year too. It wasn't exactly invasive in my case, but it definitely had ambitions of world domination if left unchecked. Had to spend way more time than I'd planned keeping it from climbing over everything nearby. Still, I have to admit it did wonders for soil structure.
Buckwheat's been my go-to mostly because it's so low-maintenance and predictable. Maybe I'm just lazy or skeptical after past experiences (mint trauma is real!), but I'm hesitant to jump back into legumes anytime soon...
