How to Keep Deer From Eating Plants
As adorable as they are, do not let the fuzzy charm of these mammals lower your guard as a gardener. Deer are capable of wreaking havoc in your garden bed and turning it upside down if they are not deterred.
They are a beautiful sight to behold as you sit on your porch with a warm cup of coffee, but they can destroy hours of hard work in the garden. These herbivores simply cannot help themselves from munching on delicious trees and shrubs and even leafy vegetables. Here are a few ways to know how to keep deer from eating plants.
Grow Plants That Repel Deer and Rabbits
If you live in a region where these white-tailed creatures love to feed on your outdoor plants, we recommend being flexible with your plant choices. Avoid growing plants that these hungry deer love such as; young leafy plants such as lettuce, pansy, and ivy. Fruits trees such as apple trees and strawberry plants are a particular favorite amongst deer. Instead, you will want to grow plants that have characteristics that do not appeal to deer, such as plants that taste bitter, have an unappealing odor, or are wrapped in thorns. When a deer comes across such a plant their sense of smell will pick up the unappealing odor and it will walk away without trying to enter further into your garden. The following are deer resistant plants:- Daffodils
- Foxgloves
- Poppies
- Agapanthus African Lily
- Fountain Grass
- Asparagus
- Sea Holly
- Herbs such as rosemary, sage, and mint
- Boxwoods
- Butterfly Bush
- Spirea shrubs
- Crape Myrtles
- Abelias
- Carolina Cypress
- Ligustrum
- Bottlebrush
- Hibiscus
- Ocala Anise
Use a Deer Fence for the Garden
One of the simplest and most effective solutions to keeping deer away from your precious plants is to put up a deer fence. Understandably, most gardeners may not want to opt for this option as installing a fence is time-consuming and expensive. However, you need to evaluate the damage that deer do to your beautiful plants and determine whether a fence is a worthwhile investment. If you choose to go ahead with setting up a fence, it will protect future plants for years to come. The best part? You will not have to limit the kind of plants you grow. You will be able to grow leafy and sweet-smelling plants without worrying if they are prickly or bitter enough to ward off the local deer population.Weigh the costs and benefits carefully before deciding on installing a fence.
