7 Ways To Keep Deer Out Of Your Garden, According To Experts

Sure, Bambi is cute. But what’s not so cute is when she’s chowing down on your vegetable garden or devouring your hostas and daylilies. Even if you’ve never had deer visiting your yard before, there’s always a first time. And no plant—even those said to be “deer resistant”—is truly safe from their voracious appetites.

But you don’t have to give up and watch your neighborhood deer consume every bit of your (expensive!) flowers, shrubs, perennials, and edibles. “The best approach is an integrated strategy that uses a few different management techniques,” says Sheldon Owen, PhD, wildlife extension specialist at West Virginia University. “Animals will get used to anything, so you need to use multiple tactics.”

Deer will eat whatever’s seasonally abundant and available, so their diets change throughout the year to include things such as fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, grass, acorns, and crops. “They don’t stand in one place and devour the whole plant but rather graze selectively with a nibble here and there,” says Michael Mengak, PhD, Certified Wildlife Biologist and professor, Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. “They’ll eat things they’re not ‘supposed’ to eat, too, if they’re hungry enough and there is a large population of deer in the area.”

That’s why you may suddenly start seeing damage. As their numbers ebb and flow, or the seasons change and impact what’s out there to eat, deer may move into new areas. And if you’re not ready to take action, you may discover your yard has become their favorite all-you-can-eat-buffet. “They can eat five pounds of browse per day, which is about a ton per year,” says Owen.

Like other wildlife such as squirrels and rabbits, they also carry ticks, which is another good reason to keep deer at a distance, says Sheldon. Discouraging all wildlife from sticking too close to your living areas can be helpful for reducing your exposure to ticks that may be carrying diseases they can pass on to you and your pets. 

How To Keep Deer Out Of Your Garden

Besides planting things less preferred by deer, you can try a few other approaches to make your garden less welcoming. For best results, try combining a few techniques, say Owen and Mengak:

• Put up a physical barrier. Fencing is the gold standard for keeping out hungry deer. While a motivated deer can clear an 8-foot-fence, you can discourage most deer with a fence around your garden that’s 6 feet tall, says Mengak. Plastic bird netting or electrified wire fencing (it’s enough to discourage them but not hurt them) are other good options.
• Add depth to a fence to increase its effectiveness. You may be able to use a shorter fence if you add depth. A hedge planted in front of the fence or setting up the fence in a zig-zag pattern gives the appearance of a deeper fence. Deer may not attempt to clear it because they have poor depth perception, says Owen.
• Fence individual plants. If you have a few prized plants, protect those instead of having to put up a whole fence. Make sure that the plant isn’t poking through, says Mengak.
• Clean up under bird feeders. “Birdseed isn’t a favorite, but free food is free food,” says Owen.
• Use scare devices. Motion-activated devices that spray a stream of water are another option. You may need several to cover an area, or you may want to keep moving the device to maintain its effectiveness, says Mengak.
• Don’t rely on folk remedies. You’ve probably heard that soap, essential oils, or predator urine keep deer away, but that’s based only on anecdotal evidence. As for human hair as a repellant, your scent is already out in your yard, so it’s not going to scare them, says Owen.
• Try repellents. But don’t rely solely on them because they have mixed results. “They also must be put out before deer learn to come to your yard for groceries,” says Mengak. Repellants will not work, however, with a high density of deer.
  
  Repellants fall into two categories: Scent types, which emit a decaying smell so that deer won’t feed in that area; and taste types, which require the deer to take a nibble to learn it’s not appetizing.
  
  Products may be sprayed, sprinkled around plants, or held within a yoyo-shaped canister that’s attached to plants. There are also products such as Plotsaver that consist of a ribbon embedded with repellant, which is installed on stakes around areas you want to protect, says Owen.
  
  Most importantly, be consistent with the use of repellants. Rotate products, and reapply every 7 to 10 days and after rain or snow. For example, use brand A and B the first week, then brand A and C the second week, and then brand B and C the third week, and so on. “Keep them guessing, and don’t let it wear off,” says Mengak. “And be aware that some deer don’t care about repellants.”

How To Tell If You Have Deer In Your Garden

Of course, sometimes you’ll see deer wandering through your garden. Deer typically are most active and browsing at dusk and right before sunrise, says Mengak. But you occasionally may see them moving around during the day, too.

Deer browse damage is distinctive, if you know what to look for. Because deer have no upper incisors, leaves and branches will look as if they were torn or ripped off. It’s different from rabbit damage, which is a clean cut that appears as if it was snipped off with scissors, says Mengak. Also, deer typically feed from ground level to about 6 feet up, though they can stand on their hind legs to feed, too.

Which Plants Are Less Likely To Be Eaten By Deer?

Generally, deer don’t prefer plants that are fuzzy, highly aromatic, spiny, or spiky. However, there are no absolutes. “They’ll eat plants that aren’t their preferred foods if necessary,” says Owen. “For example, rhododendrons and American holly are not their favorites, but I’ve seen them get devoured when there’s nothing else out there to eat.”

Check with your local university coop extension service (find yours here) to learn what plants typically are deer-resistant in your area. But remember that deer are individuals, and they all have their preferences, so there are no guarantees on what they will or won’t eat, says Mengak.