There is nothing quite as frustrating as a leisurely stroll through your garden, only to find your local deer families have had a party at your expense just hours before.  This time of year our gardens are producing wonderful vegetables and colorful abundant flowers and foliage thanks to your hard work just weeks before. This can all be gone in one twilight or early morning deer herd stroll.  Whether acting alone or in small herds, deer damage is a widespread problem in our area.  During this time of year they generally dine on a variety of vegetative food such as grasses, fruits, nuts, leaves and stems from trees, perennial plants, and shrubs. During the winter deer feed on woody twigs, buds and nuts.  Deer plant damage is distinguished from other wildlife visitors by the ragged broken end left on browsed branches.  Last week I visited a property on the lake and observed this damage to small Asiatic lily stems left in a foundation bed area.

The most reliable deer deterrent found in the resources is a physical barrier such as fencing. This is especially popular with home vegetable gardens. Whether you use chicken wire or galvanized, the depth of the fence, not height is the key to success.  Many sources suggest angling the fence at a 45 degree angle.  This discourages jumping. Although a viable intervention for backyard vegetable gardens, this method is neither practical nor aesthetically acceptable for your flowing gardens throughout your property.
A more visually pleasing and practical alternative is deer netting.  This is a black nylon material with approximately ¼ inch openings.  I often cover individual shrubs with this or span an area around numerous shrubs with low profile garden stakes. But this method does not solve your problem in your beloved perennial beds.

Believe it or not, ordinary bar soap is a popular deterrent. I have had success with bars of Irish Spring, placed in old panty hose and staked 10-15 feet apart along the garden perimeter. It is both economical and low profile, maintaining the aesthetics of your garden. Many vegetable gardeners actually string bars from nearby trees or stake them laundry line style across their vegetable beds. Other scent sensitive home methods include mothballs, garlic and fabric softener sheets. I have used garlic in the ground to ward off predators from spring bulbs, but I do not generally use during the growing season. I have experienced the use of mothballs and frankly this method just kills the whole “stop and smell the roses” garden concept.

Another popular deterrent is human hair. It is placed in old stockings or sprinkled mulch-like throughout your beds.  This method is not extremely practical. I personally am not comfortable asking my hairdresser to allow me to wrap up clippings to bring home.  But that’s just me!

and eyonomous. She sniffed and walked right by!  Not many garden centers in our area carry Milorganite.  I purchase mine at Nemics Feed and Grain on Rt. 50 in Wilton.

There are also general area deterrents that have limited success.  Floodlights with motion sensors, flags and sprinkler systems have been known to keep deer at bay for a time.  Although it is important to keep in mind that deer are creatures of habit. They may eventually become accustomed to these measures over time.

There are also planting considerations that may reduce deer grazing in your gardens. I recommend modifying your garden environment with plantings less preferred by deer.   Understand that whether or not a particular plant species or variety will be eaten depends upon the deer’s previous experience, nutritional needs, seasonal factors, weather conditions, and food source availability. (Cornell Cooperative Extension 1998) Trees and shrubs less preferred by deer include: barberry, rugosa roses, junipers (thorny plants), common boxwood, American holly, common lilac, viburnum, Colorado Blue Spruce, pines, inkberry, flowering dogwood. Bedding plants less preferred by deer include: allium, artemesia, buddleia, clethera, digitalis, lavender, salvia and daffodils. Trees and shrubs that will invite the deer to party in your yard include: arborvitae, azalea (rhodo family), balsam fir, burning bush, fruit trees, redbud, yews and hybrid tea roses.  Bedding plant invitations include: clematis, daylily, hosta, tulips, hyacinth, vinca minor, apples, beans, lettuce, peas, berries and sweet corn.

Although nothing is foolproof, you will have greater success combining your garden practices versus reliance upon a single product. I will not sacrifice the beauty and fragrance of the spring bulb blooms, the longevity of my daylilies and function of my hostas in the shade.  So I plant combinations that offer protection and apply my Milorganite at regular intervals.  One successful combination has been placing Rugosa rose and salvia within a bed of daylilies.  I have also surrounded burning bush with barberry.  In the winter I use black nylon deer netting to cover my vulnerable shrubs such as hews and arborvitae. I even use this early in spring when the bulbs begin to emerge, then apply my Milorganite once plants are several inches out of the ground. I set my automated sprinkler for early morning, (best time to water anyway) and have decorative garden flags, my American flag, and various wind chimes throughout the property.

Looking for more information on this subject!  Check out the Saratoga County Cornell Cooperative Extension. They offer many public service bulletins that will give you more extensive resources.

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* SueAnn DuBois is a Master Gardener and partner to the husband-wife team of Chips Landscaping.
 Chip’s Landscaping designs, constructs, and maintains outdoor landscape and water garden features in Saratoga County.