Deer keep eating my ripe tomatoes! What can i do?

Answer 1

Don't listen to the idiots on here, it's not even hunting season. There's lots of home remedy suggestions such as hair, urine, soap, pepper...

My suggestion? Plant more tomatoes next year to share!

Answer 2

The only thing I have seen deer learn to avoid was daffodils, which are extremely poisonous in all parts. They will eat just about anything, and down to the ground. Often, what they don't eat is so trampled on that there isn't much left. We had a garden in a highly populated deer area and found that a tall fence with lots of stakes inside the garden seemed to keep th deer out most of the time. We had a five foot woven wire fence with two strands of wire above it (6+ ft. total) while the stakes made jumping the fence an inhospitable landing ground. Many in our area also tied pie tins to string to discourage them by the movement and sound. Human hair tied in bags (those plastic woven kind onions come in) sometimes works too as does the hair spread around the garden. Go to a barbershop or beauty saloon and ask for some sweepings. There is also a product you can get at some garden centers that is called something like zoo poo, it's from lions and wolves and is supposed to keep deer and other animals out, though I think it's expensive. Other than that you can try various deer repellents, some of which have a nasty odor.

Answer 3

ha! nasty lil robbers aren't they! seriously, do not follow the other advice. plant something in another location for the deer to eat and sprinkle cayenne pepper around your tomatoes. you can also find deer repellant at local nurseries to put around your plants. it is very difficult to keep away deer, as they are very persistant. electric fences usually do not work. the reward for them is better than the jolt! a salt lick is a good idea but it will not keep them away from the food. they can reach, leap and stretch into most fences. deer usually feed at dusk and early daylight hours. it may help to put a piece of your smelliest clothing in the garden. otherwise, try the repellants and provide another food source for the deer. they are very stubborn so, keep in mind that they will not be deterred easily.

Answer 4

If you don't want to install a fence, you can try chicken-wire cages and cylinders of wire fencing around individual plants. Cover raised beds with mesh. A watch dog can also help. A large set of wind chimes can be effective if you have wind or stiff breezes.

Also, deer can be scared away by motion-sensing devices attached to lights, loud music or the jets of outdor garden fountains

There is also deer repellent in stores.

Answer 5

get a hunting license and a high powered rifle with a scope...

you could also try putting a deer feeder and a salt lick some distance away from your garden to entice them to a different area. If you have woods or something nearby your land put the salt lick at the edge of the woods tied to a tree about waist high.

Answer 6

An eight foot high woven wire fence is about the only way to keep deer out of anything. They will get used to any repellent you put out and even the biggest, meanest dog has to sleep sometime.

Answer 7

Look on the web for a supplier that can provide you with wolf urine. Sprinkle it around the perimeter of the garden.

or

Get a big, scary dog that will bark like hell and scare the deer away.

or

Get a shotgun and fire over the critters' heads. That'll make 'em think twice about stealing your tomaters.

(I like the wolf-urine idea best!)

Answer 8

A fence, human hair, hot pepper & garlic sprays, hanging soap around your plants. They also stay away from sprays of certain animals .

Hang a bar of soap wrapped in cheesecloth, on stakes. (Uncovered, this could attract rodents who will can chew on the soap). Rain and humidity keeps the soap fragrant. Use one about every ten feet or near special plants. The tallow(animal fatty acids) smell repells deer, but if it smells like coconut...it may attract them.

" Studies have also found deer can feed to within three feet of soap in the garden."
http://www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/articles/deerdeter.html

Spread your hair clippings around tomatoes : http://www.uvm.edu/pss/ppp/articles/deerdeter.html
It needs to be replaced every 2 weeks.

~ Mix one whole egg with a quarter cup of water and mix well. Pour the mixture into a pump bottle and spray it on your plants. This deterrent will withstand light rains because the egg sticks to the leaves.
~ Mix one tablespoon of liquid Ivory soap with one ounce of hot sauce in one litre of water and spray directly on plants which deer have been nibbling.
http://eartheasy.com/grow_nat_pest_cntrl.htm

Interplant deer-repelling plants throughout the garden: Perennial herbs such as artemisia, tansy, and yarrow and culinary herbs such as mint, thyme, tarragon, oregano, dill, and chives .

Or maybe you could make a spray of some of these plants. Some deer-repellent concoctions include mint oils, often combined with pepper and garlic, cloves and cinnamon, or citrus.
Good luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 9

hard to keep deer out, unless you got fence up.
only other choice is get a dog

Answer 10

Place a fence around them. or dig them up and place them somewhere else. Do you have a dog, just a thought.