A question I am asked frequently is "What can I plant that deer
do not eat?" Well, the answer is unfortunately not much. Deer are grazers, and when faced with food shortages, they will
eat just about anything. One thing you can do is to plant a garden with plants, shrubs and trees the deer do not care
for, in the hopes they will go somewhere else to eat.
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Plant what deer
don't want. Plan your garden before you buy plants. Know what plants are deer resistant and buy them, versus impulse purchases.
- Create a physical barrier. Build an 7'+ fence around your yard. This option
is not usually a viable option for most people. Deer do not like confinement, so if you have a relatively small garden,
you can place a 4" fence around the garden, and the deer will not be very likely to enter the enclosure.
- Repel deer with taste and smell. Rotten eggs and garlic seem to be two of the most effective deterrents
around. You'll be most successful if you put the repellents out when you first see deer damage or begin to notice deer
hanging around. Commercial repellents are also available. Just make sure to follow the directions carefully.
- Scare the deer away. Deer's defense is to run. When they hear noises or see motion, they will
run away. You can place noise makers in the garden, but make sure to move them frequently, since deer can get used to the
noise. There is a motion detector that will spray water. A good farm dog is one of the best deterrents.
