Visit us on Social Media and Join the Fernlea Garden Club Like us on Facebook Watch our videos on YouTube Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Pinterest Find a garden centre near you!

 Deer Repellents

Deer eating your garden?

 

Are these beautiful but pesky deer eating your favorite plants?

Encountering deer and other wildlife in the city and on the outskirts is becoming more common as we expand our city limits.

 

Deer in garden cover

It is fairly easy to detect if deer are the culprits in your garden. Deer often tear or pull on foliage rather than a clean cut because they do not have upper front teeth. So if plants appear to be torn and not cleanly cut it is likely deer, otherwise it could be rodents such as rabbits or groundhogs.

 

Also you will probably notice the hoof marks in the soil in and around your garden. This is another big clue that deer have visited.

 

Repellents

There is a broad choice of repellents - human hair, soap, feathermeal, bloodmeal, creosote, mothballs, tankage and commercial chemical repellents. The greatest amount of protection for home gardens with repellents is obtained by using several different repellents and rotating their use.

 

Proper use of repellents is critical in providing protection. You must learn to carefully monitor deer activity so that applications are properly timed. It is much easier to prevent damage than it is to stop it after it is underway. Repellents should be applied before damage is likely to occur and before deer become accustomed to feeding on the crop. Commercial repellents must always be applied according to the manufacturer's directions.

 

Other essentials for success with the use of repellents are as follows:

 

• Make thorough applications. Some repellents may require vulnerable portions of the plant to be covered before applying repellents.

• Watch the weather and repeat applications after heavy rains or when recommended by the label.

• With taste-based materials, cover new growth with applications every 3 to 4 weeks during susceptible stages. With odor-based repellents, monitor the range of influence, and repeat applications when deer begin to approach the periphery of a planting.

• If using a material to be hung on or near a plant, make placements close enough that deer will likely come into contact with the repellent.

 

Other suggestions include:

 

• Fencing your garden, the fence would need to be a minimum of 8' tall.

• Loud sounds will frighten deer but the deer can quickly adapt.

• Motion devices can be used to frighten deer but as with noisemakers, deer tend to adapt.

• Apply predator urine to keep deer away. This requires frequent applications and may be difficult for larger gardens. Coyote urine is most effective.

• A dog will help to keep deer away. They make noise and move which presents a threat to deer.

• Hot pepper, sulphur and eggs are all common ingredients in mixes that are sprayed onto the plants or around the garden to keep deer away.

 

Deer in the garden

 

 

Seasonal plants and flowers

Fernlea grows flowers and plants for all seasons. Choose a category below to see what is available and to find lots of growing and plant care tips.

 

image

Annual Plants and Flowers

Container Gardens

Autumn Flowers

Trailing Vines

Red Star Spikes

Rio Dipladenias

 

 

Tips and ideas for your garden

Here are some quick links within our site to help you with your gardening.

 

image

Selecting Colours

Plant Disease

Plant Pests and Insects

Deer Repellents

Plant Nutrients

Sun vs. Shade Plants

Hardiness Zone Map

Horticultural Glossary

Soil Smarts

Weed Control

 

space

Plants and flowers that deer tend to dislike

Unfortunately there are no plants that are completely deer proof. When food is scarce they will eat any plants that are readily available. However, there are many plants that deer won't eat if other food sources are available. By selecting many of these plants you will minimize the amount of damage from deer eating in your garden.

Annual colours palet

 

Annuals include -

Ageratum, Alyssum, Angelonia, Anisodontea, Baby's breath, Begonia, Celosia, Cestrum, Cleome, Coleus, Cosmos, Dahlia, Dusty Miller, Geranium, Heliotrope, Marigold, Mexican Sunflower, Morning Glory, Nasturtiums, Nicotiana, Perilla, Petunia, Salvia, Snapdragon, Torenia, Tuberous Begonia, Verbena, Vinca Vine and Zinnia.

 

Perennials include -

Achillea, Aster, Bamboo, Bee Balm, Bergenia, Blanket Flower, Bleeding Hearts, Broom, Butterfly Weed, Clematis, Columbine, Coreopsis, Daffodil, Delphinium, Euphorbia, Ferns, Foxglove, Gaura, Goatsbeard, Hakon Grass, Heather, Helleborus, Hens and Chicks, Heuchera, Hibiscus, Honeysuckle, Joe Pye Weed, Lady Mantle, Lamb's Ears, Lamium, Larkspur, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Ligularia, Lily of the Valley, Lysimachia, Mexican Feather Grass, Monkshood, Ophiopogon Grass, Ornamental Grass, Pachysandra, Peonies, Poppy, Potentilla, Pulmonaria, Purple Coneflower, Red Hot Poker, Rose Champion, Rugosa Rose, Salvia, Santolina, Shasta Daisy, Siberian Iris, Stipa, St. John's Wort, Sweet Woodruff, Tiarella, Verbascum, Wild Ginger and Yucca.

 

Herbs include -

Dill, Garden Sage, Mint, Ornamental Chives, Rosemary, Russian Sage and Sweet Basil.

 

Shrubs include -

Buddleia, Buxus, Caryopteris, Deutzia, Hibiscus, Itea, Leycesteria, Rhamnus, Spirea, Thuja, Viburnum and Weigela.

 

Take a tour of the greenhouse