Deer in residential areas often frustrate gardeners who discover their prized flowers have been severely damaged overnight. Deer are browsers, preferring to nip off the tender growing tips, buds, and leaves of plants rather than grazing like cattle. This selective feeding quickly destroys the aesthetic appeal and overall health of ornamental plantings. This article provides reliable methods for excluding and deterring deer through physical barriers, chemical means, and plant selection.
Creating Physical Barriers
The most reliable method for preventing deer damage involves installing physical structures that block access to plants. Deer possess remarkable jumping ability, so effective exclusion fencing must meet a minimum height requirement. For areas with consistent, heavy deer pressure, a fence should stand at least eight feet tall to be fully protective. These permanent structures are typically supported by heavy-duty T-posts and constructed from woven wire mesh or specialized high-tensile netting.
Alternatively, a double-fence system exploits the deer’s reluctance to jump into an area where the landing zone is unclear. This method involves setting up two shorter fences, perhaps four to five feet tall, spaced about four to five feet apart. The intervening space creates a visual and psychological barrier, making the deer hesitant to attempt the broad jump required to clear both barriers safely. Using dark-colored netting can also enhance the visual barrier effect, as the material tends to blend into the background, making depth perception more challenging for the animal.
For protecting individual, high-value specimens or small patches of flowers, localized barriers offer a simpler solution. Individual cages made from galvanized hardware cloth or wire mesh can be placed directly around the plant to prevent browsing damage. Lightweight netting draped over temporary hoops or stakes can protect newly emerging plants or those susceptible to damage during peak feeding seasons. These localized barriers are useful when a full perimeter fence is impractical or prohibited by local ordinances.
Using Scent and Taste Repellents
Repellents interfere with the sensory mechanisms deer use to locate and evaluate food sources, primarily through smell (olfaction) and taste (gustation). Products are categorized into contact repellents, which are taste-based and applied directly to foliage, and area repellents, which are scent-based and applied to the surrounding environment. Contact repellents include active ingredients such as putrefied egg solids, which impart a foul taste, or capsaicin, which creates a burning sensation upon ingestion.
Area repellents utilize strong, unpleasant odors that mimic predator presence or simply smell noxious to the deer’s sensitive nose, steering them away. Common scent-based ingredients include concentrated essential oils, such as peppermint or rosemary, or rendered animal fats. The effectiveness of any repellent depends on consistent application, as deer rapidly acclimate to repeated sensory stimuli, known as habituation.
To prevent habituation, gardeners should employ a rotation strategy, switching between two or three different repellent types every few weeks. Timing the application is important; repellents should be applied before damage is observed and reapplied immediately after heavy rain or overhead watering. New plant growth is unprotected and requires fresh application once the leaves have expanded.
Commercial formulations offer convenience and tested efficacy, often containing specialized sticking agents to improve rain resistance. Some gardeners prefer homemade solutions, such as mixtures of soap, eggs, and hot sauce. Homemade options are inexpensive but typically lack the staying power of commercial products and require more frequent reapplication. Following label instructions precisely concerning concentration and application method is paramount to achieving the desired deterrent effect.
Selecting Less Appealing Plants
A long-term strategy for minimizing deer damage involves choosing ornamental plants that possess natural defenses against browsing. Deer tend to avoid plants with specific textural or chemical characteristics that make them unpleasant to consume. These defenses include highly aromatic foliage, like garden sage or lavender, or leaves covered in fine, irritating hairs, such as those found on lamb’s ears.
Other plants deter feeding through toxic compounds or bitter flavors that signal unpalatability. Examples of chemically defended flowers include foxglove, which contains cardiac glycosides, and poppies, which exude a milky, acrid sap upon being damaged. The tough, sometimes rubbery texture of sedums makes them less desirable than softer, more succulent flowers.
Incorporating species like bee balm, with its strong minty fragrance, or tall ornamental grasses, which have a tough texture, can reduce the attractiveness of a flower bed. While these plants are considered deer-resistant, no plant is entirely deer-proof. A starving or stressed deer during drought or deep snow will consume almost any vegetation available, overriding natural preferences to survive.