| Written By Lara Wadsworth |
Deer can be a huge problem for home gardens that lack a proper planting strategy or protective barrier. As more people move out of cities and into suburbs and rural areas, home gardeners are becoming increasingly aware of the prevalence of deer grazing on their valuable crops. Combine this with the fact that deer populations in many states are at an all-time high, and you’ve got yourself a problem! In my local community, the questions I am asked most often almost always relate to deer and their increasing hunger. As someone who lives in the state with the second-highest deer population in the country, avoiding deer grazing is usually on my mind.
There are many ways to deter deer, but the only way to avoid deer grazing completely is to put an 8-foot fence around your entire planting area. While this is effective, it is not always practical or even possible. Fences like these cost thousands of dollars and are not always permitted, depending on the city you live in. Other measures we can take include using smaller cages and barriers, applying deer repellent sprays, and selecting smart plant choices. I love Michigan State University's Smart Gardening PDF, published in 2023, which covers some of these options.
A deer-resistant plant is a plant that deer typically don’t eat. To be clear, there is no plant that deer will never eat. If a deer is hungry enough, it will eat anything, even plants that are mildly toxic. However, there are many plants that are especially deer-prone, meaning that deer will choose to eat them over other plants because they are delicious to them. If you’re reading this article out of desperation, you might have a few ideas in mind of what plants fit into these categories. I frequently refer to a document put out by MSU’s extension service titled “Deer-Resistant Plants for Homeowners” when I’m wondering if a plant is likely to be damaged by deer or not.
Deer tend not to like plants that have strong smells or tastes, fuzzy or spikey-textured leaves, or are densely layered (making them hard to walk through). Some examples of plants that deer are not particularly fond of include thyme, sage, mint, lamb’s ear, holly, ornamental grasses, and hot peppers.
One of the easiest ways for homeowners to reduce the incidence of deer grazing in their yard is to utilize companion planting techniques. The main takeaway from this approach is to scatter your deer-prone plants among deer-resistant plants. I hate to break it to you, but a huge planting of tulips is basically a free salad bar for deer; tulips that are sprinkled among lots of other plants, much less so. The objective here is to reduce the incidence of deer grazing as much as possible, not necessarily eliminate it.
By strategically pairing deer-resistant plants with more vulnerable ones, you can create a natural deterrent to deer. Use deer-resistant plants as barriers around the edge of your garden or around specific vulnerable plants. Intermix strong-scented herbs among your veggies or flowers. Layer textures and heights to confuse and frustrate deer who are window shopping for dinner.
The rule of thumb for success is planting with a ratio of three deer-resistant plants per one deer-prone plant. You must interplant them among each other! Something like one rose bush surrounded by three lavender bushes is much less likely to get munched on than three rose bushes lined up next to each other. And, if you’re planting in rows or sections, border the vulnerable area with two layers of deer-resistant plants for extra insurance.
In large gardens, many gardeners plant “sacrificial” crops that deer love to eat, but place them far away from their prized plants. This is a good option if you live somewhere where you cannot build a fence, but you know deer will frequent the area regardless of your efforts. The key to using this practice is having a large area to work with. By sacrificing a few crops you don’t care too much about, you can increase the chances of preserving your valuable harvest.
Another question I'm often asked is, “What is the MOST deer-resistant plant?” Well, that’s a hard question to answer. It really depends on your location and the experiences of the deer in your area. However, some plants I have never heard of deer pursuing are boxwood shrubs, lavender, and marigolds. Contact your local extention office for more locally tailored advice.
I also want to mention the remarkable success I witnessed firsthand with the Deer-Resistant Wildflower Mix by True Leaf Market. My grandparents’ home in a suburb of rural Grand Rapids is relentlessly hit by deer. For the most part, they love it because they can watch them out the window and see the families grow up. But my grandmother has lamented to me many times how she can’t seem to grow anything without it getting chomped down to a stub. Well, I asked her if I could try out this wildflower mix, and she agreed. It has been amazing! Completely unbothered by the deer and absolutely beautiful. This is an incredible feat. So, a mix of seeds like this one could be another powerful tool in your arsenal of deer-resistant tactics.
If your garden is being assaulted by deer, you don’t need to completely give up growing the plants you love; you do need to get smart about your garden layout and the other plants you grow, though. With a little planning, some fragrant allies, and a whole lot of plant power, you can reclaim your garden from hungry hooves and enjoy your blooms in peace.
1 comment
Thank you, Lara. Deer were a huge problem when I lived in Pennsylvania. My older and wise neighbor taught me to stake around my garden beds and run several strands of heavy fishing line. Believe it or not it worked! In the night they would bump against it and not know what it was since they couldn’t see it. Didn’t help with rabbits or raccoons at all. The rabbits used it as an Olympic long jumping course.
In Ohio I am learning about an even more challenging problem: voles! We have been at odds for about five years and I’m not sure who’s winning. But like you, I love growing all kinds of plants, shrubs and trees. There’s always more to learn! I can’t stop.