Joanna Radford
Home, Farm, & Garden
Deer are seen in large populations across Surry and surrounding counties. While they are beautiful for some people to watch, they are a nuisance to others. Deer can quickly outgrow a habitat. They can damage food crops and be detrimental to gardens. They are usually not compatible with humans and their needs.
The impact of deer on plants can be so severe that plants are killed. This can be expensive if plants must be replanted. In best-case scenarios, plants will need to be sheared. This incurs another unexpected cost. Many times, the quality is lost and never regained. Deer may browse on young trees, which may affect uniformity of the tree and even threaten survival.
Homeowners can take action to reduce the risk of deer damage to plants in their landscape. Although there are many options, some can be time intensive and pricey. Some options include applying deer repellents, restricting access with fencing, scare tactics, and landscaping with plants that deer prefer not to eat.
Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Deer
Deer repellents usually have a bitter or hot taste that deer do not prefer. They also tend to have a putrescent (decay or rotting) scent. It takes time to apply deer repellents and repeat applications are usually necessary, especially after rain. For a list of deer repellents, contact your local extension agent.
Restricting access to an area by adding fencing may be the most effective solution. It may also be the most expensive. Depending on the size of the property, it may take a lot of time and fences may not be aesthetically pleasing. Although electric fencing may work, the more important feature is often height. The ideal fence should be higher than what the deer can jump, a minimum of seven feet.
A double fence may also be effective. Since they have poor depth perception, deer may not try to jump this style of fence. Homeowners can also fence around individual plants or trees when they are young. Wire or plastic cylinders can be used to protect young trees. This will help prevent damage around the trunk caused by deer rubbing against the bark with their antlers.
Scare tactics such as loud noises at irregular intervals may be effective in the short-term. However, deer quickly habituate to noises that do not hurt them. Scare tactics are often not viable in residential areas as they are often considered a nuisance to neighbors as well. A guard dog may help scare deer away but they are high maintenance and require daily attention, food, and water.
Landscaping with plants that are deer proof would be a great trick. Sadly, no plant is completely deer proof! Deer will eat to survive, especially during stressful times like drought. Plants that deer usually avoid may still be damaged if a deer is hungry enough. Deer will also eat almost anything in the spring. They do prefer tender vegetation that is soft to touch and high in water content. And boy do deer love flower buds! Plants that have been over-fertilized and over watered are lush and appeal to deer. In short, deer resistant plants are not necessarily deer proof.
Deer Resistant Plants
Consider selecting plants with characteristics that are undesirable to deer. Plants that deter deer are those with thorny or prickly leaves or stems. Deer do not like strong scented and pungent tasting plants, such as herbs. They also steer clear of poisonous plants or plants that produce thick latex-like sap. Plants with hairy leaves are also at the bottom of a deer’s list of preferred plants. Older, more mature trees withstand deer damage better than young ones. Tall trees and trees that hold branches high are better equipped for deer pressure.
Some options for trees and plants classified as “deer resistant” for our area are listed in the chart below. North Carolina State University has a helpful website to assist in selecting plants. You may find it at https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/.
Whatever option you choose to minimize deer damage in your landscape, remember to alternate tactics so the deer are always on alert. Good luck with avoiding deer damage!
