How to Keep Deer Out of Your Garden
As the deer population has boomed and
food has become scarcer, they have become more aggressive. In some areas deer will
strip your garden bare, leaving nothing green or flowery behind. While there is no such thing as a completely deer-proof garden, there
are some effective things you can do to protect your garden from these
hungry animals.
Use physical barriers
A High Fence
Deer can jump pretty high, but a fence higher than eight feet (higher on an up-slope) and
flush with the ground will keep any deer out.
Electric Fences
They are a much easier and less expensive solution. Deer generally
will not try to jump electric fences, but will rather try to climb
through the wires, receiving a deterring shock.
Bird-Netting
An even less extreme
physical option is to put bird netting over your larger and more
susceptible plants.
Plant Deer-Resistant Varieties
Herbs, some conifers, and many flowers
are some of the best deer-resistant plants. More fragrant plants will often deter predation. Planting just a few deer-resistant plants will limit grazing of your other plants. Remember, "deer-resistant" does not mean deer-proof. A hungry animal will eat just about anything.
Chemical and Natural Repellents
They range from the more natural solutions, made
from such things as pepper oil and
predator urine, to completely
man-made chemicals. Many gardeners find that simply hanging some pungent bath soap around is enough to
keep their plants uneaten. It all depends on how persistent the deer in your area are.
Having a dog In the Family
Owning a dog, especially a big dog will almost always keep deer
from approaching your home. Just the scent of the dog will keep most deer away, and if your dog lives outside you will probably never see any deer.
For most gardeners, it is a combination
of different solutions that works best. Every
gardener has to find the solution that works best in their garden.
