Deer eating Lanscaped Plants!!?

Question

Hi what can we do to deter deer from eating landscaped plants? My parents just moved into a brand new neighborhood - had the entire yard landscaped and now deer are eating everything to the ground. Oak Leaf hydrangea, hibisus, hosta, everything literally to the ground. This literally happened in a matter of weeks. We are sure it is deer b/c they have seen the shadows pass the bedroom window. They are eating plants right next to the house! Anyone have any ideas of how to deter this behavior? Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

Answer 1

First off, Plant some Geraniums cause deer dont eat them. Then sprinkle some Milorganite around the plants, it gives off a subtle smell deers hate. Milorganite is also a fertilizer (that u can buy at Home Depot) so it will nourish your plants and keep the deer away at the same time.

Answer 2

I encounter this problem every day. I'm a landscaper. I've researched this problem for a couple of years out in the field with my own yards. The only way to keep the deer away is to change there feeding habits. You need to immediately start spraying your yard with deer repelant. You can find it at your local feed store. Also use netting as much as possible to make it more difficult for the deer to eat your plants. Another deterant would be to install motion detection lights into your yard. This will scare the deer away as they come up to the yard. Set the motion sensor for low setting so the deer have to get close and they will get spooked. Deer feed on habit, so if you keep them away, they will eventually find somewhere else to eat. If all this doesn't work....the last solution would be to go to your local barber and ask for hair cuttings. Place the hair cuttings under your mulch and the Scent of humans keeps the deer away...I've seen it work...Other than that use plants that are deer resistant check your local nursery.

Answer 3

I would first contact the landscaper and ask them to help out. The problem of deer should have been considered as a matter of professional integrity. While I'm not suggesting a law suit, I would expect that your parents' trust in this "professional's" expertise should allow for such an obvious issue to be covered. The BBB might be a worthwhile bet if they won't make good. Several other answerers have good points about the human hair and predator urine, motion sensing lights and even Fido. There is a fertilizer product called Milorganite made from human waste. I've personally had good luck with it. Replacing plantings with variegated varieties may also help to reduce their plundering.

Answer 4

A dog is a nice idea,but then you have a dog to take care of ,it does not have to be a huge dog, but my dog used to ignore the deer and they ignored her.Venison stew,another nice idea except for the hunting regulations,the neighbours,the trouble and effort of skinning and butchering and disposing of offal. The sad truth is that there are deer and the luscious growth that they just adore. Higher fences wont help unless you intend to make them over ten feet tall, deer have been able to clear twelve foot tall fences. The idea of planting plants that deer wont eat doesn't work and once you see what things deer are willing to eat it is really understandable. Smearing everything with human excreta,urine or blood? I think I would rather just feed the deer. That is another option. Convince the next doors to plant stuff the deer like even more than what you have. In the end good luck. ps deer like clover and alfalfa also, but regular timothy hay is actualy better for them. Sorry, but until people get over the death of Bambi's mother ther is not much you will be able to do, electic fences are expensive , do not work and if you have ever contactes one by accident ....

Answer 5

There is a product call Repellex deer repellant. It is not harmful to the deer but will keep them away from the plants. It comes in tablet form and you put it around the plants. It is costly. I think you can get 500 tablets for around $200, but I have heard it is effective, and is cheaper than replacing plants a couple of times a year or so. Hope this helps

Answer 6

So Brother is blaming the landscaper for the eating habits of the deer? Now thats rich!

You can purchase "Big Cat" (lion and tiger) manure from the garden centers. This practice was discovered in China and is just now catching on in the states. They have learned that spreading this "dung" around your property scares off Rabbits, Bear, Raccoons, Groundhogs, and even Deer.

Answer 7

There is a product out called liquid fencing that is supposed to keep deer away from landscaping when you apply it the only downside is that you have to keep on reapplying it.

Answer 8

There's a product called Liquid Fence made of putrescent eggs and garlic which is excellent at keeping deer (and any neighbor for that matter) away from your plants.

Answer 9

Shoot the deer, it will take a while to get them all but eventually you will. Very important though is to leave the rotting carcasses on your front lawn as a reminder to the other deer. Afte that youll want to smear your face with the blood of the last kill and run through your neighborhood shouting, "I great hunter".

Answer 10

My wife said to put human hair down. Ask your local salon to save some and spread it around short of a 12 ft fence this is something I heard of too a long time ago.