Deer Enclosure in Waynesboro, VA property

Blueberry planting in separate enclosure (cage)

Deer love to eat most of the flowers, plants and trees in your garden. To discourage deer from eating your garden, you basically have three (3) options.

1. Construct a Barrier or Fence.
2. Make your garden unpleasant for deer.
3. Choose plants that deer don’t like.

Deer Barriers and Fences

Deer can jump an 8 foot fence, but in most cases this height is adequate. Fencing is made from woven wire and polypropylene products. Shorter fences serve as as deterrents and usually effective if deer populations are not starving. Additional deterrents should be considered (read-on). Fences are your costly option and limit your enjoyment of your home landscape. Create a natural barrier such as planting 1-2 rows of thorny shrubs or tall-growing hedges to discourage deer .

Scent Proofing

Commercial sprays are available at garden centers that keep deer away for short periods, 1-3 months. These are strange odors that deer are not accustomed to. Others include Tabasco sauce, mustard, garlic, cayenne pepper, fragrant bar soap, shampoo, et al. Additional short-term remedies are to edge your garden include human hair (ask your barber or stylist for sweepings), fresh garlic, rotten eggs, onions, and mothballs.

Some herbal plants give off a scent that deer usually dislike. They include mint, cloves, sage, yarrow, oregano, citrus, among others.Plant these herbs on the outer edges of your garden to discourage deer.

Deer Proof Plants

Check with your local Extension office for a list of deer-resistant trees, shrubs, and perennials. Plant lists abound in books and on the Internet. However, what may work best in one locale may not in another place. Deer in different parts of the same state may not have similar plant palates. If deer populations are extraordinarily high, they will feed or browse on any plant, some that are not their favorites.