Hungry deer are a persistent pest that can easily decimate gardens in spring when young crops and blooming flowers emerge. Fences, covers, scare tactics and odors may help deter deer.
Deer are expert jumpers, but are less likely to attempt climbing two fences simultaneously than one. A double fence layer may provide the best protection from them.
Fences
Deer are notoriously destructive creatures that can ruin decorative trees and shrubs while eating your vegetables and flowers. Additionally, deer carry ticks which spread Lyme disease which is painful and potentially life-threatening for both people and pets alike. While no guarantee can be given for keeping deer away from your garden entirely, combining multiple methods together may increase your odds of success in stopping deer from entering it.
Physical barriers are the best way to protect plants from deer browsing, such as deer netting fastened to wooden 4x4s or metal T-bar garden posts. One solution could be black deer netting fastened 8 feet tall (this should prevent deer from jumping over it), while plastic mesh fencing hung like a tarp over raised garden beds could work too – both options allow planting vegetables, herbs and flowers while keeping out deer.
Deer are known to avoid areas with strong smells like garlic, soap, milk, salt and pepper; to keep them away from your garden. One way of deterring deer from nibbling away at it would be spraying an unpleasant-smelling liquid that they find repellent onto plants or in your garden; this homemade repellent may include ingredients such as garlic, soap, milk salt and pepper as ingredients that repel them. Ideally it should be applied early in the season when deer are most active, then repeated as often as needed until its effectiveness has become effective.
Blood meal, decayed fish heads or garlic can help deer remain away from your garden by using scent. However, these deterrents must be applied regularly – otherwise deer will quickly ignore them! A barking dog may also work; just make sure it has free range in your yard or long tether and doesn’t bark endlessly! Motion-activated devices which squirt water or emit an irritating high frequency sound could also be useful; though these might only scare critters temporarily!
Selection of plants to resist deer browse in your garden is also key, and these include tulips (Antsonia) and roses (Rosa spp.), as well as lilacs, Astilbe spicata, Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), marigolds, lavender, sage thyme oregano rosemary chives tansy & bee balm as natural deterrents.
Covers
Deer are attracted to plants for both their fragrance and flavor, as well as for the aesthetic beauty they add to gardens and home landscapes. There are ways you can protect flowers and vegetables from deer damage using covers and other methods that make your yard less inviting for them.
Physical barriers are the best way to keep deer away from your garden. Consider installing an underground fence of at least 8 feet height that extends partially underground, without gaps that allow them to get under or jump over it; otherwise they’ll find their way in!
Flowering plants and herbs that deer are resistant to include lavender (Lavandula), thyme (Thymus), oregano (Origanum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and sage (Salvia sp). Other highly fragrant species, like dill (Nepeta), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Agastache hyssop and Russian sage (Perovskia), or Russian sage (Perovskia).
Planting a dense hedge of tall and thorny shrubs or vines is one way to add physical barriers around your garden. Aside from being physically barrier, these plants also create an excellent backdrop for vegetables and flowers in your garden – consider planting a hornbeam hedge, barberry (Berberis julianae), dogwood (Cornus), hollyhocks (Hyacinthus), or pyracanthas (Pyracantha).
Homemade deterrents that smell like predator urine can serve as temporary solutions, too. Hang bars of strongly scented soap from trees or fences, or cover the ground with dog hair or human urine (both available at feed stores). Some commercial products that utilize predator scents-such as coyote and snake urine-may also work, though such solutions often won’t last as long-term solutions.
Be mindful that deer populations are on the rise nationwide and they’re highly adaptable. You can reduce potential damage by clearing away fallen leaves, brush, or other material from your garden area promptly after it falls, as well as clearing dead plants promptly when they die. Furthermore, over time deterrents may lose effectiveness so make sure to switch them up from season to season for maximum effectiveness.
Scare Tactics
Deer are beautiful animals, but they can also be an annoyance when gardening. Hungry deer have been known to jump fences, disregard scare tactics and show up without fail to devour your produce. To prevent deer from visiting your garden in this manner, install a sturdy fence around it as well as employ other strategies such as scents or visual cues to deter grazers from entering it.
One effective strategy to deter deer from your garden is planting plants they find offensive, such as Boxwood, Russian sage, ornamental grasses, bellflower, geraniums, lupine lavender or cleomes. Deer also avoid prickly or fuzzy foliage plants which might cause discomfort to them – marigolds emit an unpleasant odor that they find repulsive.
One effective method of deterring deer is using devices designed to startle them, like motion-activated sprinklers that activate when animals approach your garden. Wind chimes or hanging tin pie pans may also work to distract deer and encourage them to leave your property for another part of your yard.
Homemade deer repellents can help keep deer out of your vegetable garden. Strong-scented bars of soap may work effectively at deterring these pesky creatures for short periods. Or try covering your hair ends with nylon or cheesecloth and hanging them from trees and fencing around your garden; their natural pheromones should keep deer at bay – though you will have to frequently change out these pieces due to them losing their effectiveness over time.
As deer are highly adaptable creatures, no single method will be effective enough to stop them from feeding on your garden plants. By employing various strategies listed here – choosing plants they don’t like, erecting fences around the garden space, spraying deer repellent or using visual cues such as scents – combined together you will greatly increase the odds that deer won’t nibble away at it!
Odors
Deer are known for having highly developed senses of smell, and can detect even tiny pheromones left behind by humans. A pheromone trap is an effective way to deter deer from invading your garden or landscape during fall and winter when female deer become particularly hungry. These inexpensive DIY traps can be reused again and again; additionally they can also be placed around newly transplanted seedlings to prevent eating before roots have had the chance to form.
Strong odors can be used effectively to repel deer, but this strategy must be used consistently for best results. Otherwise, deer could become used to the scent over time and ignore it completely if its pattern doesn’t change frequently enough. Milorganite or Liquid Fence sprays work particularly well when applied regularly (at least every few days).
If your budget doesn’t allow for installing a deer fence, try placing large rocks around the edges of your garden bed as deer will avoid crossing these obstacles and become put-off by their smell when trying to reach your plants.
Similar techniques can also be employed to protect trees, shrubs and bulbs from deer attacks: simply cover them in netting that allows water and sunlight to pass while keeping deer at bay. This approach is particularly useful for new transplants that are at greater risk from deer attacks.
Deer are unpredictable feeders and even deer-resistant plants may fall victim to them in times of scarcity.
Reducing damage requires employing multiple strategies simultaneously. A deer-proof fence may be ideal, but not always practical. Other measures, like using commercial deer repellent or spraying plants with oil-based solutions can be equally effective ways of providing garden protection.