Deer are beautiful when you see them on public land, but
when they enter your yard, it’s understandable that you have mixed feelings
about them. Maybe you see them completely as a pest. Even if it’s getting under
your skin, it’s not worth spending all of your time chasing them away. Deer may
wreak havoc, especially if you are a suburban gardener. Before you take extreme
measures, consider some of the better known strategies that are circulating and
are reported as effective.
Common ways to
identify deer damage
According to the Human Society, deer do not have upper
incisors, so they don’t clips plants neatly as do rabbits or woodchucks. They
recommend looking for torn appearances at the end of twigs. Obviously look at
leaves and branches found at deer height, about three to five free from the
ground, unless you’re in a snowy region during winter. If a deer really enjoys
a favored plant, the deer probably didn’t leave you leftovers. For a list of
plants that deer favor, visit these helpful resources from Arkansas
and Utah .[1][2]
For a list of plants that deer eat last, read Mike McGrath’s
article.[3]
As soon as you find evidence of deer damage, it might come
as no surprise that you need to deter them from making your ornamentals and
garden their buffet cafeteria. You can use plant covers and protective netting
on attacked plants. Ideally, you should go to your local nursery or gardening
club and obtain a list of deer resistant plants. Then, thoughtfully landscape
to consider the placement of plants.
Possible Solutions
There are a number of solutions that are worth sharing. It
might seem like everyone talks about installing physical barriers to fight
deer. However, why live with a yard that looks like you’re ready to do battle? There
are less visibly conspicuous options that are effective. Deer are extremely
wary and like to avoid feeling insecure or threatened. One solution is predator
urines, which are increasingly popular. However, check for cruelty-free
products that aren’t from fur farms raising wild animals inhumanely. It’s important to use any repellants as soon
as you notice the damage and reapply them regularly. Another solution is to use
scare devices like timed lights, motion activated sprinklers and motion
sensors. One of the best bets that will
preserve your sense of style is to include plants that have pungent flowers
since deer rely heavily on their sense of smell and pungent aromas of plants
that are unappealing to deer will mask the more appealing aromas. Finally,
select thorny, hairy or prickly plants where deer near plants you want to
protect.
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