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| Photo Credit: Jennifer Manning |
| At least one deer enjoyed this hydrangea for a midnight snack. |
Sometimes we don’t realize we have a deer problem until we plant something they really love to eat. Other times, we know we have a deer problem, but we aren’t willing to give up the plants we (and the deer) love, so we put up a fight. And it is a tough battle we wage with deer – the largest of the garden pests out there.
To win this war, the ideal strategy is to change our gardens by using deer-resistant plantings. In some cases, a plant’s taste or fragrance is displeasing to the animals, while in other cases, it’s a selection’s thorny stems that are the deterrent. In any case, there are many common, beautiful garden plants out there that deer simply avoid. If you’re looking for deer-resistant perennials, think Astilbe, foxglove, sage, Lenten rose and Veronica. Shrubs to choose from include barberry, forsythia, nandina, juniper, mountain laurel and viburnum. Trees that deer steer clear of include bald cypress, flowering dogwoods and ginkgo. Deer don’t care for daffodil bulbs either. Of course, any gardener living in a “deer zone” can probably tell you about additional plants that have worked for them. Truthfully though, if deer are hungry enough, they’ll eat just about anything. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Jennifer Manning | | Tall deer fencing keeps the four-legged pests from getting into your garden. |
On the opposite end of the plant spectrum are those plants that actually seem to attract deer. Hostas, hydrangeas, roses and tulips are just a few of the prized selections many gardeners will go to battle over just to keep them in their gardens! If you can’t live without these beauties, here are a few ideas to keep your plantings off a deer’s menu.
First off, the hand’s-down best defense is a deer fence. Unfortunately, this is also one of the most expensive methods, so most people use this as a last resort. Deer fencing can be professionally installed, or you can do it yourself. Check with your local Cooperative Extension office for detailed construction plans. You also may be able to get away with putting up temporary fencing when only a few plants need protection. Try black plastic netting as a barrier to cover susceptible plants, and consider wire cages to enclose any plant during its tender new-growth phase – when deer are most likely to eat them.
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