Oh No DEER…Not Here!
If deer are causing problems in your yard and garden, here are some ways to protect your plants.
Home Remedies
Natural repellents like dish soap, cayenne pepper, sour milk, garlic and rotten eggs are ingredients some gardeners use to repel deer (although the rotten egg smell might keep me out of the garden too!).
These solutions are made with ingredients you probably have around your house right now. If you want to take this route, the website Deer-Departed.com has a good list of deer repellent recipes.
REAL RESULTS: Spraying store-bought deer repellent early in the season when tulips are budding (left) is an effective way to keep deer away. The result is a bed full of blooms (right) — even in this wooded area with high deer pressure.
Off-The-Shelf Products
The simplest, most effective way to keep the deer away is to buy deer repellent and a sprayer at your local hardware store, garden center or online. Many brands of deer repellents include the same natural ingredients as the home remedies, but in higher concentrations.
How to Apply Deer Repellents
Once you choose a deer repellent, apply it to your landscape beds once a week as well as after it rains. Some deer repellents claim to be rain resistant, but use judgement (sprinkles versus downpour) and reapply after a rain if you think you need it.
It is important to start spraying early in the season, before any vulnerable flower buds appear. It only takes a few minutes and the time invested in spraying your beds will save you the frustration and disappointment of flowers that end up being deer food.
Filling your yard with deer-resistant plants is another approach. To shop for deer-resistant spring blooming bulbs, click HERE. For deer-resistant summer bulbs, click HERE.
