There are several ways to deter deer from yards

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Most homeowners enjoy their making property beautiful, but one of the major problems of keeping it that way is the deer enjoying the landscape too. They particularly like nibbling on the flowers and leaves of decorative plants, which can be very frustrating to the homeowner. There are several ways to deter them.

First you could use a product like Liquid Fence, which has had a good success rate in repelling deer and rabbits. Just spray it on the leaves and deer will be repelled by the scent. You could spread Milorganite fertilizer around the plant; it fertilizes the plant and deters deer at the same time.

Deer also do not like plants that give off an odor. Consider using plants like Rosemary, Lavender and Anise. Planting these types of plants near sensitive plants will repel deer.

The best way to have success against deer is to plant deer-resistant perennials. Since perennials are becoming more popular, there are many deer-resistant varieties to choose from. Here is a list of deer resistant perennials: Miss Huff Lantana; Yarrow; Colombine; Thrift; Artemisia; Astilbe; Aster; Lily of the Valley; Coreopsis; Delphinium; Chrysanthemum; Dianthus; Bleeding Hearts; Foxglove; Cone flower; ferns; Cranesbill; Lenten Rose; Heuchera; Candy Tuff; Red Hot Poker; Lavender; Rosemary; Shasta Daisy; Bee Balm; Peony; Russian Sage; Ribbon Grass; Phlox; Lungwort; Black-eyed Susan; Sage; Lamb’s Ear; Spiderwart; and Veronica. By using these perennials you will be able to enjoy your garden without the problem of deer eating them. When planting perennials it is very important to install them in a quality, rich soil mix. Perennials need that good mix to thrive. For best results, build up the planting beds using quality top soil, planting mix and mushroom compost. Follow these steps and fertilize, then you will be able to enjoy them for years to come.

Happy gardening.