Although they are pretty to look at, deer can be quite destructive in your garden. They tend to eat flower bushes, vegetable gardens, herbs, or anything else you might have planted. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep deer out of your yard. There are quite a few types of plants that you can grow to deter deer, put up a fence to physically block deer from entering your yard, or use a chemical repellent to scare them off. Of course, you will have to continuously reapply any chemical deterrents. Remember deer are stubborn animals!
Natural Deterrents
Grow shrubs and grasses that are spiny, bitter, or potent. Deer will not eat foul-tasting or strong-smelling plants. So, try planting a few holly or lilac shrubs around the perimeter of your yard or fill it with potent herbs and flowers like yarrow, thyme, rosemary, and lavender. Deer also avoid plants with thorns. Roses are an exception; although they have sharp thorns, deer still love to eat them.
Smells that Deter
- Spray a commercial deer repellent across your yard. Follow the instructions printed on the packaging and apply as directed. Not all commercial deer repellents are environmentally friendly. Read the label before you purchase a repellent if you are concerned about the environment. This is especially important if you will be spraying the repellent on a vegetable garden or where kids and pets will be playing. Also consider the smell factor when purchasing a deer repellent. If a spray is too odorous, you are unlikely to want to sit in your garden or yard!
- Cover the edges of your yard in hot pepper spray as a natural deterrent. A spray made from hot red pepper flakes works as a natural, environment-safe deterrent that will not harm deer but will keep them away from your yard and plants.
- Sprinkle 4-5 handfuls of soap flakes around the edges of your yard. Deer dislike both the smell and the taste of soap. To create the soap flakes, try grating off pieces of bar soap using a clean cheese grater.
Fencing is Guaranteed
The only surefire way to keep deer out of your garden is to put up a tall fence. Deer have been known to jump 10-foot fences, but an 8-foot fence will deter most intruders unless they are very hungry. To ensure the success of your fence, use deer tendencies to your advantage. Deer are intimidated about jumping when they cannot tell how much distance they must clear. For that reason, they are less likely to jump a fence over a narrow, long garden than a fence that surrounds a large, wide garden. The two long sides appear to be too close together for the deer to see a place to land. You can even make a 5-foot-fence more deer proof by using taller posts and attaching strands of wire above the fence, such as at 7 feet and 10 feet.
We have seen a lot of methods gardeners use to try to keep deer, and other animals, out of their precious gardens and from eating their hard-earned veggies and herbs. The only guaranteed solution is a fence. We are experts at installing fences that keep out these nuisances but can also be aesthetically pleasing. Call us, stop by, or complete the online form to see how we can help keep your garden safe. We offer FREE estimates!
