A Trick to Keep the Deer from Eating your Plants

1. 38

   MyFavoriteBeddingposted 13 years ago

   I used to buy the deer repellant spray to keep the deer from eating my plants.  I hated using it because it smelled sooo horrible.  I was in Home Depot, ready to buy more of that awful stuff,  when a worker their told me a much more pleasant and cheaper way to keep the deer away---dryer sheets!!  All you have to do is cut a dryer sheet into about 3 or 4 pieces and stick it inside the plant.  The deer hate the smell, and knock on wood, my plants are all intact.  I replace the dryer sheets every couple of weeks.

   replyreport
   1. 76

      livelongerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'd make a Hub out of this. This is the sort of thing people search on.

      replyreport
   2. 0

      Emile Rposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm going to have to try this.  I've got a contorted mulberry that the deer love.  If the plant wasn't so hardy they would have killed it last year.
      
      Thanks for the tip.

      replyreport
   3. 80

      mega1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      great idea!  you can also plant white sage - which is drought resistant and looks rather nice - you have to keep trimming it, but if you plant enough close together it will be like a small buffer hedge in front of your roses or taller plants.  Of course, it won't work in front of very short plants.  But the deer hate it and they've been staying away from the white roses which they used to gobble!

      replyreport
   4. 60

      Jim Hunterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You can always use soap too.

      replyreport
   5. 75

      IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      My Dad found a .22 rifle does the job. Doesn't injure them, but when they get a sore behoochie, they learn quickly not to come back!

      replyreport
      1. 60

         Jim Hunterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         A .22?
         
         I've killed small does with a .22, are you sure he isn't talking about a pellet gun?

         replyreport
         1. 75

            IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Nope, a .22, but they do fire pellets. Called a .22 in the UK anyway.

            replyreport
2. 0

   klarawieckposted 13 years ago

   Do you have any tips to keep alligators away from eating us Floridians?

   replyreport
   1. 80

      mega1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      other than Crocodile Dundee - and I'm not sure he's around - no, I don't - you could move to Calif where the only crocodiles are bank loan managers!

      replyreport
      1. 0

         klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Those employments have been given to sharks here in Florida.

         replyreport
         1. 80

            mega1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I guess folks in CA were too hip to sharks so using crocodiles is the thing now, I don't know why people don't see them for what they are - sharks masquerading as crocodiles masquerading as bank loan managers and also some accountants in certain neighborhoods

            replyreport
         2. 76

            Castlepalomaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            klarawieck
            Very rare an alligators eat someone from my experience swimming with them in Belize; they may bit at night by mistake
            
            Farm pigs kill more than sharks
            
            MyFavoriteBedding
            I compose human mature (for non-food plants) and then pour the urine around the garden to keep all other animals away.
            
            Everybody watch out for mosquitoes and hitting dear with your car.
            Those two will kill yah more than all the earth’s animal’s combined

            replyreport
   2. 75

      IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Garlic! Works every time

      replyreport
      1. 0

         klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Nah... that only works with mosquitos!
         
         Alligators are not that picky. They like their humans well-seasoned.

         replyreport
3. 0

   klarawieckposted 13 years ago

   Banned for leaving the banned thread for too long. I'm still banning ya!

   replyreport
   1. 80

      mega1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not even going to reply to that!
      
      and banned for hijacking!

      replyreport
4. 54

   kmackey32posted 13 years ago

   cool. I live in the city so I dont have that problem but what about tiny little bugs eating the bottom of my tomatoes and they are still green....grrr its making me very mad...

   replyreport
   1. 61

      manthyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'll tell you what I use is tobasco sauce....it works real good.
      try it they won't touch your pllants

      replyreport
      1. 54

         kmackey32posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         put it right on the bottom of the tomato?

         replyreport
5. 59

   logic,commonsenseposted 13 years ago

   I have found that lead poisoning works fastest and best!

   replyreport
   1. 0

      klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You know what works even faster?
      
                                         A shotgun!!

      replyreport
      1. 80

         mega1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         HEY!  no need to kill things just because they're hungry and you don't like them - do plant things they don't like in front of the things they like and it works!  also - dogs barking at them will keep them away, too!

         replyreport
      2. 76

         Castlepalomaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Natural Meat and vegetable can go well together

         replyreport
      3. 73

         earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Exactly what he said! Lead poisoning!
         
         Geeze girl are you one of those high class city chicks who things a gun stock is a place where ya buy guns?

         replyreport
6. 0

   Brenda Durhamposted 13 years ago

   I agree with mega1 on this.  As irritating as it was a few weeks ago to see a deer in our garden, its beauty didn't escape me; it was pretty awesome to see it for the few seconds before it saw me at the back door and then ran off.
   Great suggestions in this thread.   I've heard also that a "scarecrow" of tinfoil on a pole will startle them away.  I posed that idea to hubby;  to which, he posed the shotgun idea like the fool he is (since we live inside town limits).   So far we've used neither, and haven't seen the deer again.
   It would be different if the garden were our only source of food.   Then, of course, we'd probably not only shoot the deer, but also use it for food!   I hope the U.S. economy doesn't get any worse, else many people will be doing things they may not want to, but are needful.

   replyreport
7. 0

   klarawieckposted 13 years ago

   That's what I'm talking about!!!
   
   THE ROADKILL CAFE - "You Kill It, We Grill It!"
   
          Their "smear of deer" is fantastic, even more so when you add some veggies!
   
   
          Take a look at the menu! http://www.road-kill-cafe.com/roadkill.html

   replyreport
   1. 76

      Castlepalomaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Man oh Man, I thought the Chinese ate everything but rock
      
      What part of the hills have eye red neck part of Texas do they eat all this?
      
      Just in case I decide to race by, so I don;t get eaten

      replyreport
      1. 0

         klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Everglades... this place is in the Everglades... we'll eat anything that don't taste like rubber.

         replyreport
         1. 73

            earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I found a couple of nice items on the menu, very extensive isn't it?
            
            No-Luck Buck              4.95          High Speed Special       2.95
            Just can't duck a truck.                What's that, a cat?!

            replyreport
      2. 73

         earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It's OK I read the menu and as far as I can see, you're not on it....... of course menus can change.

         replyreport
8. 73

   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   First time I've read this post.
   
   Klara you gotta look at doin standup.
   
   Woman you are a bloody riot! Gonna back read and look at all silliness now and bump my mouse on any links, I shall return.

   replyreport
9. 73

   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   This hub has a two stepped approach.
   In the beginning is a great question that will make a great hub, with some great advice that could be included, then that naughty Klara steps in, and we get stage two. I have never seen that menu before, and it is a better read than most.
   
   I hunted deer as a kid, they were too plentiful at the time and were ripping in to the maize.
   
   
   It's not like that anymore here, people are licensed to farm them, and wild deer are so protected if you insult one you get about ten years in the slammer!

   replyreport
10. 0

    klarawieckposted 13 years ago

    Meeeee?? Silly?!!! LOL
    I'm REAL. We've got a bunch of freaks here in Florida - from Skunk Ape (Florida's version of Big Foot) to an entire town of psychics. Unlike your case, we protect the deer and hunt down those creepy CHILDREN that keep ripping our maize!
    

    replyreport
    1. 73

       earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I gotta get me one of those hats!
       
       All kids are dangerous!
       
       It sounds like you have plenty of entertainers even if they don't see it that way!

       replyreport
11. 86

    Joe Machoposted 13 years ago

    I know it may sound gross, but urine will work as well.
    
    I know a lot of gardeners who will save up their urine and then spread it around the garden to make a protective barrier. Deer hate the smell of humans, so most of the time they'll never even get close. Hey it's free at least

    replyreport
12. 79

    LuisEGonzalezposted 13 years ago

    Actually urine is the best technique, it has been used for quite a number of years with great effect...

    replyreport
13. 59

    Green Lotusposted 13 years ago

    I'm happy to see this thread is back on track. I do know that deer hate the taste of daffodils, so it keeps them at bay, but since they only bloom for a brief period in early spring that's not too helpful in fall and winter. I'd go for any of the previously mentioned humane treatments. I like the dryer sheet solution. I know Bounce dryer sheets work great for keeping spiders away

    replyreport
    1. 38

       MyFavoriteBeddingposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Well, I hate spiders, and I did not know the dryer sheets worked for that too!  Thanks for the info, and I will definitely be trying that out.

       replyreport
14. 53

    dogdecoysposted 8 years ago

    Sprays to keep away the deer is just so past man! You gotta check out the latest one in the market – a dog decoy that can keep the deer away from eating your plants. Yes, Dog Decoys sells these dog decoys that are actually a dog silhouette on spring; like a real dog. It definitely works. I have one in my garden too!

    replyreport