Perhaps you may have noticed that the deer population in the Southeast has grown significantly in the past couple of years. As more deer move into the area, they are often finding homes in neighborhoods and other residential areas. While it is always exciting to see deer, it can be frustrating when they eat all the buds off of your plants before they get a chance to bloom. Here are a few great ways to discourage deer from getting into your yard and plants.

1) Plant deer-resistant plants: A few examples are Rosemary, Marigolds, Zinnias, Bee Balm, Daffodils, Purple Heart, and Lavender. These beautiful flowers are not particularly attractive to deer but will add a lot of color to your garden throughout the growing season.

2) Make sure to leave your garden clean: If you have a vegetable or fruit garden, make sure to pick your produce right when it is ripe. 

3) Use spray repellents: There are several different types of repellents that can be used to keep the deer off of your most prized flowers that use different ingredients to produce smells that discourage deer.      These include Havahart’s Deer Away, Deer Off, and Hinder. A tip is to rotate different smells so that the deer do not become too accustomed to the scent. Remember to make sure that there are no poisons in any spray.

4) String fishing line around your garden: Fishing line made with monofilament is a great way to deter deer feeding. They often will get confused because they cannot see the barrier and will leave the plants alone. 

5) Let your dog run in the yard as much as possible: Regardless of size, dogs’ scent and bark are natural repellents.

 6) Shine motion-sensitive lights on the garden: Deer are nocturnal, so if they trigger a light, they will avoid the area.

Remember that deer are smart creatures, and will eventually figure out the barriers. Make sure to mix it up when you are planning how to keep them out of your flowers. 

Sources: https://www.southernliving.com/garden/plants/deer-repellent-plants?slide=b87a7908-b9f7-4d77-9dba-b3a988782d7b#b87a7908-b9f7-4d77-9dba-b3a988782d7b

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/pest-control/21018819/20-ways-to-keep-deer-out-of-your-yard