If
you’re a fan of plants, you may not be a fan of deer eating them.
I
enjoy deer watching... from a distance that is. A good fence makes great
neighbors and it can certainly help a great garden. however If you
are like many of us who don't want the expense or incarcerated look and feel of
living inside a fenced compound you do have options.
The
best defense is a great offense and deer are complex creatures of habit. When
they feel safe and find delicious food, they will include your trees shrubs and
greenery on their daily wanderings. As with any Unwelcome guest making them
feel more than a little uncomfortable speeds their departure and reduces the
chance they will return.
Deer
have a varied menu of trees shrubs and plants the will eat and in a pinch this
grows to include normally unpalatable items like spruce, tree bark and wood.
These
are listed in order of desperation and are not exclusive; they will eat whatever
is available to survive.
They
generally prefer lush energy rich plants like hosta or evergreens with softer
needles like taxus or hemlock.
You
can just plant trees and shrubs that are deer resistant but that leads to a
dull landscape.
The
best defense short of an 8 foot fence is a multi-pronged assault on all the
deer's senses. Smell, taste and sound are three primary senses used by deer to
navigate their way in the landscape. Sight, and particularly motion are also
factors that influence a deer by making them feel less at ease.
Change
and motion in the landscape creates feelings of unease and the potential
for predators to sneak up on them well feeding makes the deer less likely to
linger and sample your garden.
There
are many taste and smell deterrents available that use a variety of ingredients
including blood, urine, garlic, rotten eggs and a variety of mouth burning
spices and peppers. They all work to some extent, but deer, being creatures of
habit will eventually adjust to the taste and smell and eat your
trees and shrubs in spite of your repeated spraying. A change will do you good!
Change up your spray by using a variety of different sprays. This reduces
habituation and acts on a variety of senses. Deer don't like this unpleasant
change.
Blocking
trails, and reducing bedding and birthing areas in your immediate hinterland
will also take the game to a new level. Keep in mind that other people use
trails before you pile brush or put log mats across them. Placing a few
brushy branch piles on sites that deer lay down to rest on is a sure way to
keep them on the move,
If
a doe does give birth near your garden the feeding pressure will be increased
as the new mother will not travel far to feed while the fawns are small. She
will eat a much greater variety of non-preferred foods while she nurses and
stays close to the birthing area.
Encouraging
you dog to mark its territory at the boundary of your garden is also an
effective deterrent. Motion sensing sprinklers, lights and other high tech
gadgets are also effective as part of an overall program of wholesale unfriendliness.
Sound
deterrents are useful as they not only startle the deer but create a sense of
unease at the lack of ability to hear the approach of predators.
As
with all deterrents sound devices must change and have variability to prevent
them from becoming routine and ignored. All this can seem like a lot of work
and it can be, you have to keep in mind that your garden has to be peacefully
and accessible. Thankfully our senses are much less keen than the average deer
so we don't smell the repellents or hear the ultrasonic devices. There are
companies that will provide a regular deer repellent spray program and this can
be very effective as it takes the burden of scheduling off the home owners. Most
of these programs change their formulas periodically to keep ahead of the deer.
There are also companies that provide a dedicated deer deterrent program to
take the entire process to a higher level while allowing you to plant what you
want.
ISA
certified arborists are aware of what trees and shrubs are deer resistant in
your landscape. Contact your land ISA Certified arborist to discuss your
options for limiting deer damage on your landscape.
