Folks with lawns and gardens in the Panhandle must contend with all sorts of pests. Fungus, bacteria, and insects plague our properties constantly, disrupting plant growth, marring aesthetics, and ruining ripening fruit. But, as annoying and costly as these organisms can be, none compare in destructive capabilities to our native nuisance, the Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). No doubt your yard has been ravaged at one point or another by these four-legged Cervideans and you’ve sought all kinds of remedies, but what actually works? Is there any way to keep deer away from your plants? Let’s find out.
Whitetails, the most popular game species in the US, are notorious pests of cultivated plants for several reasons. First, deer are everywhere. Found in all lower 48 states and adapted for survival in rural and suburban settings, there is no escaping deer. Second, they are indiscriminate feeders. Yes, they prefer some plants over others (we’ll get to some of these shortly), but in hard times, they will eat nearly anything. Third, they are crepuscular creatures; crepuscular being a fancy term for being most active around the twilight hours into the night and again in early morning. This is problematic as things that would deter them from yards like people, yard machinery, pets, etc. are usually indoors at these times, leaving deer to roam unbothered and dine where they please. Finally, deer are habitual creatures. Once they find a reliable food source, they will persistently seek it out and invite their friends too. All these attributes make whitetails uniquely annoying in landscapes.
Given the widespread nature of whitetails, it will come as no surprise that every remedy one can think of for deterring them from gardens and landscapes has been tried, most with temporary success at best. So, what actually works?
Planting Resistant Plants. There are no truly “deer-proof” plants. However, there are many species that are highly resistant to deer browsing. These tend to be either aromatic (Waxmyrtle, Vitex, Viburnum, many herbs, Society Garlic, etc.), have a rough or “fuzzy” texture (many ornamental grasses, Junipers, Bottlebrush, some Hollies, etc.), or toxic (Coontie, Oleander, Lantana, etc.). Unfortunately, a yard filled with only these would be rather boring and folks’ favorite ornamental plants like daylilies, roses, hydrangeas, camellias, and a host of other popular landscape plants are highly preferred by deer. Many less preferred species also get eaten during lean times and even young, tender shoots of resistant plants are readily browsed before they reach maturity. So, what other options are available to protect these garden favorites?
Chemical Deterrents. Chemical deterrents, made from aromatic essential oils, spices, putrescent egg solids, animal wastes, and others do tend to work, at least for a while. Deer are sensitive to extreme odors and don’t like nibbling on leaves that taste highly aromatic or “spicy”. While effective temporarily, all these products require frequent reapplication as they lose their effectiveness after rain events and just generally dilute and degrade over time out in the elements. Work as they may, chemical deterrents are certainly not a perfect, permanent solution.
Exclusion. The only guaranteed way to eliminate deer browsing is through exclusion. Building a 6’ or taller fence (deer can clear a 6’ fence but often don’t if easier browse is nearby) around your garden area is an excellent preventative option. For those of us who either can’t construct a tall fence or don’t like the aesthetics, another option is utilizing temporary exclusionary cages around young shrubs/trees for the first few years after planting until they grow beyond deer’s ability to severely damage. I proactively “cage” all trees and shrubs in my yard with 4’ or 5’ wire cages until they get “above the deer”. Without cages, many would be browsed incessantly, never allowed to grow to their full potential, and, in some cases, killed outright.
To truly have a deer-resistant yard, a combination of all three is required. Add a backbone of deer-resistant plants to your landscape. Liberally use deer repellents and reapply after rain. Exclude with fencing where and when practical. Some damage will still occur, but you will have successfully eliminated much of your deer caused gardening frustration! For more information on nuisance wildlife, deer-resistant yards, or any other horticultural topic, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension County office.
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