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| Deer eating your garden? |
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| Are these beautiful but pesky deer eating your favorite plants? |
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| Encountering deer and other wildlife in the city and on the outskirts is becoming more common as we expand our city limits. |
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| It is fairly easy to detect if deer are the culprits in your garden. Deer often tear or pull on foliage rather than a clean cut because they do not have upper front teeth. So if plants appear to be torn and not cleanly cut it is likely deer, otherwise it could be rodents such as rabbits or groundhogs. Also you will probably notice the hoof marks in the soil in and around your garden. This is another big clue that deer have visited. |
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| On average, a deer can eat 2 to 4.5 kilograms of vegetation in one day. |
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| Below is a list of plants and flowers that deer tend to dislike |
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| Unfortunately there are no plants that are completely deer proof. When food is scarce they will eat any plants that are readily available. However, there are many plants that deer won't eat if other food sources are available. By selecting many of these plants you will minimize the amount of damage from deer eating in your garden. |
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| Annuals |
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 Ageratum | | Mexican Sunflower |
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| Alyssum | | Marigold |
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| Angelonia | | Morning Glory |
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| Anisodontea | | Nasturtiums |
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| Baby's breath | | Nicotiana |
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| Begonia | | Perilla |
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| Celosia | | Petunia |
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| Cestrum | | Salvia |
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| Cleome | | Snapdragon |
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| Coleus | | Torenia |
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| Cosmos | | Tuberous Begonia |
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| Dahlia | | Verbena |
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| Dusty Miller | | Vinca Vine |
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| Heliotrope | | Zinnia |
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| Perennials |
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| Achillea | | Lamium |
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| Aster | | Larkspur |
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| Bamboo | | Lavender |
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| Bee Balm | | Lemon Balm |
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| Bergenia | | Ligularia |
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| Blanket Flower | | Lily of the Valley |
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| Bleeding Hearts | | Lysimachia |
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| Broom | | Mexican Feather Grass |
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| Butterfly Weed | | Monkshood |
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| Clematis | | Ophiopogon Grass |
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| Columbine | | Ornamental Grass |
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| Coreopsis | | Pachysandra |
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| Daffodil | | Peonies |
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| Delphinium | | Poppy |
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| Euphorbia | | Potentilla |
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| Ferns | | Pulmonaria |
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| Foxglove | | Purple Coneflower |
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| Gaura | | Red Hot Poker |
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| Geranium | | Rose Champion |
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| Goatsbeard | | Rugosa Rose |
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| Hakon Grass | | Salvia |
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| Heath | | Santolina |
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| Heather | | Shasta Daisy |
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| Helleborus | | Siberian Iris |
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| Hens and Chicks | | Stipa |
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| Heuchera | | St. John's Wort |
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| Hibiscus | | Sweet Woodruff |
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| Honeysuckle | | Tiarella |
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| Joe Pye Weed | | Verbascum |
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| Lady Mantle | | Wild Ginger |
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| Lamb's Ears | | Yucca |
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| Herbs |
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| Dill | | Rosemary |
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| Garden Sage | | Russian Sage |
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| Mint | | Sweet Basil |
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| Ornamental Chives | | |
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| Shrubs |
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| Buddleia | | Leycesteria |
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| Buxus | | Rhamnus |
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| Caryopteris | | Spirea |
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| Deutzia | | Thuja |
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| Hibiscus | | Viburnum |
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| Itea | | Weigela |
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| Repellents |
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| There is a broad choice of repellents - human hair, soap, feathermeal, bloodmeal, creosote, mothballs, tankage and commercial chemical repellents. The greatest amount of protection for home gardens with repellents is obtained by using several different repellents and rotating their use.
Proper use of repellents is critical in providing protection. You must learn to carefully monitor deer activity so that applications are properly timed. It is much easier to prevent damage than it is to stop it after it is underway. Repellents should be applied before damage is likely to occur and before deer become accustomed to feeding on the crop. Commercial repellents must always be applied according to the manufacturer's directions. Other essentials for success with the use of repellents are as follows:
• Make thorough applications. Some repellents may require vulnerable portions of the plant to be covered before applying repellents.
• Watch the weather and repeat applications after heavy rains or when recommended by the label.
• With taste-based materials, cover new growth with applications every 3-4 weeks during susceptible stages. With odor-based repellents, monitor the range of influence, and repeat applications when deer begin to approach the periphery of a planting.
• If using a material to be hung on or near a plant, make placements close enough that deer will likely come into contact with the repellent. |
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| Other suggestions include: |
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• Fencing your garden, although the fence would need to be a minimum of 8' tall.
• Loud sounds will frighten deer but the deer can quickly adapt.
• Motion devices can be used to frighten deer but as with noisemakers, deer tend to adapt to the movements of such devices.
• You can apply treatments such as predator urine to keep deer away. But it will require frequent applications and may be difficult for larger gardens. Coyote urine is the most effective.
• A dog will help to keep deer away. They make noise and move which presents a threat to deer.
• Hot pepper, sulphur and eggs are all common ingredients in mixes that are sprayed onto the plants or around the garden to keep deer away. |
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