How To Keep Deer Out of Your Garden
Most people enjoy seeing deer in nearby forests and meadows, but when these wildlife animals appear in your garden, they usually get a less-than-welcome deer response. For gardeners who prefer the deer not to feed on their flowers, plants, trees and shrubs, here are five ideas to encourage deer to return to their natural foods.
Plant Edibles
For gardeners who enjoy seeing deer in their yard but not in their garden, planting a variety of deer foods they love outside the garden helps distract the animals. While the deer nibble on plants from the areas they’re supposed to eat in, they might still head for the garden, so include additional deer-resistant measures for the most effectiveness.
Interplant with Bulbs
Deer and much other wildlife find flower bulbs to provide a welcome feast. Deer show up to eat the tender shoots that appear when the bulbs first start growing in the spring. Consider planting daffodils or alliums, as they are not among their favorite bulbs to keep them away. Their bitter substance, lycorine, most mammals will not eat.
Choose Foods They Dislike
Deer dislike early spring-blooming plants such as lavender. In the summer, deer stay away from cosmos, bachelor’s buttons, yarrow and sunflowers. Deer also tend to keep far away from buttercup and ginger as well as herbs, including marjoram, mint and oregano. Ornamental onion and garlic also seem to lack appeal for deer.
Deer love to nibble new leaves and the growth on trees, so planting trees they dislike helps keep them out of the garden. Consider planting American holly, Alberta spruce, river birch and red pine. Deer also stay away from pitch pine, pawpaw and paper birch trees.
Various shrubs also lack appeal for deer, including bayberry, butterfly bush, boxwood, heather and juniper. Plant these shrubs together to create a barrier, another defense to keep deer out of the garden.
Use Repellants
Sprinklers not only help water the garden, but they also keep deer out of your garden.
Another trick includes sprinkling chili powder in the holes used to plant bulbs. Put chili powder on top of the bulb to keep deer away in the fall when they feed up in preparation for winter.
For garden areas with newly emerging spring growth, spraying the area with something that tastes nasty also helps keep deer away. These natural repellants are sold in gardening stores, or check online for non-toxic, safe sprays. If you want to keep your pests, family and guests safe and have any wildlife problems, never hesitate to contact a professional pest control company.
Erect Fences
Since deer seem afraid to walk on fencing, consider creating a wood pile between rows or along the garden’s perimeter to keep deer out of your garden. Next, lay fencing wire with large mesh on top of these piles to form a barrier for the deer. Regular fencing at least 7 feet high helps keep deer out of the garden.
If you already have a 4 to 5-foot fence and somehow they still seem to get in your backyard, consider adding an extension fence for additional height.
Now For a Beautiful Yard!
Once you have found one, two, three or more ways to successfully keep deer away, think about your lawn, trees, shrubs and plants. We can help you with that.
Contact Fernandez & Sons for all your lawn design and maintenance needs, including suitable trees, shrubs and plants to keep the deer out of your garden and return where they belong.
In addition to lawn and landscape services, we offer masonry services such as patios, decks, outdoor kitchens, driveways and more.
