Deer look shy and sweet, but they have proliferated in recent years and have become pests in many areas. They’ll eat almost anything—flowers, leaves, fruits and vegetables—so your garden offers an inviting menu. While they’re eating your plants, deer will trample the garden and nibble bark from trees, and they may even harm lawn furniture, or themselves, while trying to satisfy their appetites. To keep deer out of your garden, follow the tips below.
Hit the hot sauce
If you spray your bushes with a very dilute mixture of cayenne pepper and water, deer will find another place to dine.
Protect individual shrubs
Shrubs can be protected by covering them with 1⁄2-inch (13-mm) wire or vinyl mesh. Secure it at the plant base with twine.
Protect planting beds
Protect the planting beds in your garden by erecting an inconspicuous fence with black or dark green, 2-inch (5-cm) mesh netting. Fasten it to stakes or trees; it must be at least 8 feet (2 meters) tall and enclose the area completely. Otherwise, deer will be able to enter but won’t have room to leap out. They will not only destroy your plants and the netting but may also injure themselves.
Use chicken wire
Stake chicken wire flat around the perimeter of your garden. Deer don’t like to walk on it, and it’s not an eyesore like an upright fence.
Use plastic bags on tree branches
Discourage deer from nibbling on your tender young trees by tying white plastic bags to some of the branches. It works perhaps because the bags look like white tails—the deer’s warning sign of danger. They’re visible on moonlit nights, and they rustle in the breeze, which also helps spook deer.
Make bloodmeal sachets
To deter deer with the smell of bloodmeal, place about 1⁄4 cup (60 cc) in a coffee filter, pull the edges together, and staple the packet shut. Push a wire through the top and tie the sachet to a plant you want to protect.
Leave a “no trespassing” sign
To leave a scent deer don’t take to, fill the foot sections of some old pantyhose with human hair collected from hairbrushes or your local barbershop. Even better, stuff the pantyhose with your dog’s fur after a good brushing. Tie up the ends and hang the nylon sachets where deer tend to snack. With your new protector, deer won’t be back for seconds. The hair or fur loses its scent after a while, so replace it every four or five days.
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Protect your yard in multiple ways if deer live in the area.
