3 Tips To Prevent Deer From Snacking In Your Garden...Without Hurting Them
Even though you might love how beautiful deer are, there is probably one thing that you do not like about these creatures: the fact that they can wreak havoc on your garden. As herbivores, deer are always looking for tasty plants to munch on, and if you live in an area where there are a lot of deer, chances are good that at least a couple of them have set their sights on your garden. If you'd like to prevent deer from getting into your garden and causing damage but also want to avoid hurting them, give these tips a try.
1. Install a Deer Fence
One good option is to install a deer fence around your garden, or at least around your most fragile and sensitive plants. A good deer fence is designed specifically to keep these creatures out of certain spaces—such as gardens—and can be made out of metal, wood, or other materials. You can purchase and install deer fencing yourself, but an even better idea can be to contact a fence contractor in your area so that you can find out more about your options and can have your fence professionally installed.
2. Use a Deer Repellent
Did you know that there are products on the market that are designed to repel deer without actually poisoning or otherwise harming them? You should be able to purchase one at your local garden center or nursery. As long as you follow the directions on the package when distributing the deer repellent, it can be surprisingly effective without harming you, your family, your plants, or even the deer themselves. Instead, it can just make your property seem like a less pleasant place to visit than the deer's other options, effectively causing them to leave your garden alone. For example, some deer repellents are actually made from fox or wolf urine; they serve as a deterrent because the deer are afraid that there is a predator around, so they go elsewhere to graze.
3. Allow Your Dog Near the Garden
If you have a dog, allowing it to spend time around your garden—so long as it will not dig up your plants or that the area is protected by a deer fence that the dog cannot infiltrate—can also work well at keeping deer away. Deer are often afraid of dogs that run, growl, and bark. Plus, if your dog marks its territory throughout your garden, it can have a similar effect as using a deer repellent.
There are a few ways that you can prevent deer from grazing in your garden. If you give these three tips a try, you just might find that it's possible to keep your garden safe from deer after all.