5 TIPS TO STOP DEER EATING YOUR PLANTS

One of the perpetual hazards of gardening is finding that your precious plants have been damaged by a wild creature or insect of some sort. This post is concerned with deer which are probably the largest animals that are likely to be a problem in your garden. Each of the five tips will help to deter the deer, but it is a question of trying several of the methods to see which works best in your situation. I found this information on the Longfield Gardens website.

Deer can be a headache for gardeners. Many of the plants we love growing are plants deer love eating. In early spring, when deer have little else to eat, there are few plants that will escape their nibbling. And, when deer populations are high or food supplies are low, deer will devour almost every plant in sight.
There are a number of ways to protect your garden from deer. Since deer behavior varies by location, finding the strategies that work best in your garden usually requires some trial and error.

DETER WITH REPELLENTS
One way to discourage deer from nibbling is to spray your plants with a repellent that has a bad taste or noxious odor. These repellents work best when they are applied early in the season, before deer get accustomed to visiting your garden for a meal. Start spraying as soon as you see deer hanging around or you notice plants being eaten.
Some of these sprays have quite a strong scent, so you’ll want to avoid spraying them into the wind or when your neighbor is having a barbeque.
Tests have shown that alternating between two or more brands of scent deterrents seems to increase their effectiveness. The most highly recommended brands include Plantskydd, Bobbix and Liquid Fence.

Follow application instructions on the packaging and reapply as recommended. If deer are a significant problem in your area, you may need to spray as often as once a week. For a small garden, a ready-to-use spray repellent will work fine. For larger gardens, it?s easier and more economical to purchase the deterant as a concentrate and then apply it with a pump sprayer and wand.