Deer

Deer can cause a lot of damage to home gardens and cultivated fields. When allowed to develop feeding habits in an area, they become difficult to control. The best way to curb their damage is to repel them and restrict their access to the food before they develop a habit of feeding in the area. This can be done in a variety of ways.

Reduce Attractants

Deer gravitate to areas where they find plenty of food and cover. For the home gardener, this amounts to landscaping plants, wooded areas and garden plots. While it is impossible to remove all attractants, harvesting fruit regularly, pruning plants to reduce cover areas and cutting grass to limit bedding areas will all help keep deer away.

Use Deer Repellent Sprays or Granules Proactively

Foliar repellent sprays are effective for limiting deer feeding damage and will help keep them away over time. If used proactively starting in springtime, repellents can deter deer feeding to the point that deer remain elsewhere when foraging. Bobbex Rose Deer & Insect Repellent is highly touted for its efficacy – a study from the State of Connecticut Department of Forestry and Horticulture ranked it as the #1 deer repellent of 10 commercially available brands tested.

Fence Areas or Use Other Barriers

Fencing is the most effective method for controlling deer, but also the most expensive. Since adult deer can jump up to eight feet high, fences must be at least that tall. Row or plant covers can also be helpful by simply limiting easy access to plant material.

Have ticks coming in on deer or other wildlife? Consider applying beneficial nematodes to control the ticks. More tick control options can be found here.