“How Can I Keep Deer Out of My Garden?”
We hear this question constantly. Deer can be an enjoyable sight as they gallop across an expanse of land … or when they’re munching on someone else’s plants. These graceful animals can truly be beautiful, and some people don’t really object to their presence. But deer can destroy a garden, and they can cripple or even kill many types of trees. The sight of a herd of deer eating their way through a garden is a dreaded sight for any dedicated gardener. A fully grown deer will eat between 6 and 10 pounds of food daily. This means that a deer can eat every plant in a garden during one visit!
Deer tend to eat more during the spring and summer because these are the times when female deer are likely to be pregnant and/or nursing a fawn. A pregnant or nursing deer will need even more food than average to meet their needs. Since spring and summer are also the seasons when people are most likely to be growing lots of lovely things in their gardens, it’s easy to understand how deer can feel like they’ve found the buffet when they come upon your backyard.
Most backyard trees and plants are attractive to deer, and more so when deer are hungry. Deer won’t confine themselves to vegetables, either – they love roses, daisies, and geraniums as well as fruits and vegetables.
As a homeowner, if you’d really rather the deer were eating somewhere else, you have several non-harmful options to help keep deer out of your garden. Here are some tips that are widely recognized as being effective at keeping deer from consuming your trees and plants:
1. Deer Repellent
Repellents can be effective in many cases, but they do not always work. Repellents usually work best when they are consistently applied, and when different varieties of repellents are rotated so the deer do not get used to one type. A note of caution: do not apply deer repellent to any crop that is consumable, as it is not safe for use on food eaten by people.
Some gardeners have found, however, that applying repellents to young food bearing plants before they mature will keep deer away when the plants do bear edible crops. This also applies to flowering plants.
2. Garlic & Onions
Some homeowners believe that planting garlic and onions around the border of the garden will deter deer from eating anything in the garden. However, if a garden is the only food source the deer have found, then they will breach this barrier. In other words, although they might not like the garlic and onions, they prefer them to starvation.
3. Netting
Some plants can be protected by plastic netting which can be laid over the plants, or by a high fence. Keep in mind though: deer can jump as high as 12 feet to get to food.
4. Dog Urine
Dog urine can act as a repellent if the deer believe that a predator is nearby (though some gardeners believe that a spot of dog urine does not help). The quantity of dog urine is the determining factor in keeping deer away, and this may not work well on suburban deer which are accustomed to the smell of dogs.
In general, whether or not your yard and garden are beset by deer will depend mostly on how hungry the deer are and whether your garden is one among many in the neighborhood. If you need help protecting or restoring your trees from deer damage or from any other cause, contact the Cincinnati arboreal professionals at Tree Images for a tree service estimate.
