Shade Garden Critter RiddanceHow I Deter Deer (and other mammals) in My Garden

No plant is totally critter, in particular deer, proof. At times deer, also known as Locusts-On-Hooves, will at least take a bite to sample. The plants deer place on their menu vary from area to area and from season to season. They are doing their best, along with other small mammals, to adapt and survive in an ever crowded world.

Shade Garden Critter Riddance

How I Deter Deer (and other mammals) in My Garden

There are times when I feel my garden is getting a bit crowded. Frustrations levels reach a point where I feel like hanging traffic lights on the garden paths. I designed my garden to be backyard wildlife friendly and it would seem I have been quite successful. Just about every mammal, and their decedents, seem to know the location of Gene's stop and shop green grocery. Suppose I cannot complain since I did advertise.

Small Mammals

I used organic granulated fertilizer made from chicken poop or blood and every raccoon in the county will dug up the plants to get at what they think is buried beneath the root system of my prized perennials. To detract the attention of the raccoons I set up dinner beneath the bird feeders. A pan of bird food and scraps. All during winter there were occasional visits. This spring traffic increased at my diner. Just this week I found out why my resident raccoon could not stay away from the food. He turned out to be a she and she brought two young to show them where to find a free meal. They may be cute and all that (in cartoons), but they eat more than my two sons when they were teenagers.

Skunks (Mephitis mephitis)

Pepe' Le Pew , or one of his close relatives, has showed up each evening just before dark. He has taken a ticket for early seating and the raccoons must now wait their turn until after Pepe' has dined. I have increased seating and menu to accommodate the increased traffic at Gene's Diner. However, Pepe' always seeks dessert in my garden. That striped kitty spends the night going through my garden making like a first-class excavator. Since my paths are wood chips he digs and turns over every inch seeking insects each evening. Each morning it is my task to rake the path back where it belongs.

Whistle Pigs (Marmota monax)

There is a brush pile hidden in the back corner of our property near an open field. It is a part of welcoming small mammals and birds, providing protection and shelter. However, the brush pile was not really intended as a permanent resident. Each year a Groundhog moves into the brush pile (same resident?) and establishes a feeding route. From the brush pile there is tall grass in the field to move through until a pipe can carry it under the driveway and into the garden. There it creates a path thru my perennials clearing a way to the top of the hill in the center of my garden. That way it can watch the house while dining on my finest. Groundhogs are especially devastating to late winter, very early spring ephemerals in foliage before the grasses emerge.

While weeding this week I found a yellow jacket nest purely by accident. They were kind enough to let me know they did not want neighbors and are keeping to themselves, if I keep to myself. I left a note to the skunk at the diner describing where the yellow jackets were residing.

The snake with its nose sticking out of the bird house was a bit of a surprise as I walked by and looked eye-to-eye with the new temporary tenant. I will probably use the other path for couple of days.

Deer: Locust on Hooves (Odocoileus virginianus)

Just his week I observed a small herd of deer coming out at dusk to feed. The small wood at the edge of our country property is the bedroom to mom and a pair of twins, plus assorted other family members totaling six deer. My garden is located on a hillside between their bedroom and a pond on a farm at the top of the hill. Since my garden is woodland it provided protection from prying eyes as they travel to the local watering hole. Dinner is found among hydrangea, lilies, each and every rare expensive perennial. After they visit the watering hole they make a return trip through my garden and have dessert. Next thing you know they will be filling out guest suggestion cards for more/better service.

While surfing the internet I did see on Yelp where my garden received a review of 5 stars as best Deer Family Friendly cafe'.

Deer Deterrents

No plant is totally deer-proof. At times deer, also known as Locusts-On-Hooves, will, at the least, take a bite to sample. The plants deer place on their menu vary from area to area and from season to season. They are doing their best to adapt and survive in an ever crowded world. The mammals are doing the same. Insects the mammals and birds feed on are there because of my garden. Snakes are there to dine on the birds and insects I have supported. In a way, it is a compliment to me and my efforts as a gardener that they have all chosen to hang out with me.

However, there does come a point where I must draw the line. Reservations must be made and seating is limited if we are both to have this garden/cafe' to eat and play in. There many myths and remedies, some of which work, and others that do not, to deter mammals both small and large.

Territorial Disputes

(No illustrations here)

Being male, it has been suggested that I mark my garden boundaries by urinating on select locations. Each evening when I have the urge I am to go to the garden to relieve myself. I am the one selecting evening as the time of choice. The time semi-darkness is based upon my assumption that my neighbors are not interested in my lack of toilet training. I found that repeated marking of locations did add a scent that I could readily locate if the deer did not. Given a hot humid evening with calm breezes, there was a certain fragrance that was more than I need to experience. The deer, however, did not seem to care one way or the other.

Noise

The two most common uses of noise in deterring deer are the use of a radio and a Japanese water feature. A battery powered radio left in the garden over night was supposed to make the deer think humans were in the garden. It did not take long for me to find plants trampled where the deer had invited their friends over to dance to the music I provided. Within a week the deer were sending request for "oldies". So, on to the next noise to scare away deer.

The Japanese have smaller deer than our local species, but their gardens are generally smaller as well. They invented a water feature that makes a clacking sound. Water runs thru a bamboo pipe filling a reservoir. When the reservoir fills it fall against a rock making a clacking noise at regular intervals. The feature certainly adds much to the hardscaping and atmosphere of a garden, but mostly it provided a place for the deer to come drink.

Soap on a Rope

I have friends who swear by placing cakes of soap on a string and tying them to the edge of the garden or on specific trees and shrubs. Supposedly the scent of the soap makes the deer think there are humans hiding behind the nearest tree waiting to jump out on them. Very clean humans are obviously the most dangerous to deer. Iris Spring soap is the most often recommended.

Fences

An entire chapter could be written on the various fencing concepts to keep deer out of the garden. The first concept recommended to me was a simple clear fishing line stretched along the boundary of my garden. Preferably across the deer's regular path. Supposedly since the deer could not see the line, but kept bumping into it, they would become spooked and turn around. My deer had very good vision and jumping practice.A Goggle search will net you something like 160,000 results, so it is a much sought after topic. The most common fence recommended fence is 7 foot tall netting type, usually in 100 foot rolls. Posts and other supports are the trick to this determent, but it is a "permanent" solution and it does work. The fencing is not expensive compared to repeated sprays over time. Mostly time and labor in erecting. Deer will try to get thru the fence by going under, or pushing thru, so the fence will need periodic checking.

Voodoo & Magic of Sprays & Shakes

Over time I have tried several brand names of sprays to keep deer from dining on specific plants. There are many others besides the ones I have used. Some I purchased, some were samples give to me from trade booths at a writers convention.

Deer Off was one of the brands I have received a sample and purchased. Does it work? In a word, Yes. Length of protection is labeled for 3 months before a repeat is needed. It works not only on deer, but also other small mammals. Effectiveness is immediate upon spraying, and formula is all natural, even certified Organic. I used this on one side of a path spraying my native azalea to protect the flower buds the deer consider desserts during late winter. No damage was found.

PlantSkydd brand was used to spray a different side of a path with native deciduous azalea in fall as they were coming into bud. PlantSkydd brand is labeled for 6 months effective use during winter, 3 - 4 months in summer. I found it to be quite effective and no damage occurred to my

azalea. This brand also carries a broader range of mammals deterred by the spray. Listed as natural and organic. It comes in both liquid and powder form. I used the liquid.

I strongly recommend wearing rubber gloves for you will almost certainly get some of the liquid on your hands while spraying. Since the sprays work by order, you do not want that smell on your hands. Soap and water takes multiple washings to remove the smell.

Shake Away Coyote Urine GranulesI received samples of this product, but must admit I have not given it a trial as yet. This product is aimed directly at deer. Fear of coyotes is built into deer and their response is immediate. Do not go where prey hang out. Shake Away claims organic and non-toxic, and I see they state the granules "significantly reduce and often eliminate deer browsing". I read the label and put off using the product for it required use on a repeated and regular schedule. Two things I am not very good at remembering.

Eggs and WaterIf you would prefer to bypass the major manufacturers of deer repellents, there are home formulas that work at deterring deer browsing. The most basic recipe I have used is a mix of 20% eggs and 80% water. You will need to remove the white membrane from each egg to prevent clogging of your sprayer. It also must be reapplied every 30 days to stay effective. But, if you can use along a deer's regular path couple of times in a row it may teach them to leave that tree or perennial alone.

Resistant Plants

Shade Perennials Resistant to Deer Browsing

No plant is totally deer-proof. At times deer, also known as Locusts-On-Hooves, will at least take a bite to sample. The plants deer place on their menu vary from area to area and from season to season. They are doing their best to adapt and survive in an ever crowded world.

The following plants have been resistant to deer browsing in my gardens over the past 20+ years.

Aconitum species Monkshood - All

Anemone nemorosa European Woodland Anemone

Arisaema species Jack in the Pulpit, Green Dragon, etc

Asarum species Ginger - All

Aralia species American Spikenard / wild Sarsaparilla, etc

Baptisia species False Indigo

Brunnera Heartleaf False Forget-me-nots

Campanula Bellflowers

Caulophyllum Blue Cohosh

Corydalis Corydalis

Cyclamen species Hardy Cyclamen - All

Delphinium species Larkspur - All

Dicentra Bleeding Hearts - All

Dodecatheon Shooting Stars - All

Epimedium Fairy Wings / Barrenwort - All

Erythronium Trout Lily - All

Euphorbia Spurge

Ferns Ferns - All

Galanthus Snowdrops - All

Gaultheria Creeping WintergreenHakonechloa Japanese Shade Grass - All

Helleborus Hellebore - All

Hepatica Liverlobe - All

Hexastylis Evergreen Ginger

Hymenocallis Spider Lily

Hypoxis Yellow Star Grass

Iris Iris - All

Jeffersonia Twin Leaf

Leucosceptrum Japanese Shrub Mint

Lobelia species Cardinal Flower / Great Blue

Melanthium Virginia Bunchflower

Pachysandra Allegheny Spurge

Panax Ginseng

Phlox divaricata / stolonifera Phlox Blue Wood / Phlox Creeping Woodland

Podophyllum Mayapple

Primula Primrose - All

Pulmonaria Lungwort

Rodgersia Rodger's Flower - All

Salvia Salvia - All

Sanguinaria Bloodroot

Spiranthes Ladie's Tresses

Stylophorum Wood Poppy

Syneilesis Shredded Umbrella Plant

Thalictrum Meadow Rue - All

Tiarella Foamflower

Triosteum Horse Gentian - All

Vancouveria Inside Out Flower

Veratum False Hellebore

Veronicastrum Culver's Root

Viola Violet - Most

There are, of course many other perennials for your shade garden besides the ones listed here. You will want to download my book eBook: “Shade Garden Solutions: Eight Essential Problems Solved for Successful Shade Gardening”

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