Wire fencing.

Blood. Deer freak out at the smell of blood - it sparks their natural fear response. I use blood meal as a fertilizer, and there are commercial deer repellents that are blood based. One from Europe (forget name) lasts 6 months.

I'm also experimenting with Boxwood. Deer won't come near it, so I planted three of them around a Blue Atlas Cedar on my property - totally kept the deer away, not even a nibble. Another Blue Atlas without Boxwood near it - they ate the first 4 feet of the limbs off! This winter I'm going to make a spray out of ground up Boxwood leaves and see what effect it has. If you try it, make sure it isn't Korean Boxwood. It needs to be the good ole' fashioned Southern kind that you see around old homes in the South. It has a strong smell to it.

Regards,

K4

K4- Thank you so much for your reply. I didn't know that they made a deer repellent but I will stop by my local Ace garden center on the way home today to inquire. Boxwood huh? I sure wish I had posted this to you last week because I trimmed-up a big one in front of the house last saturday darnit and could have ground it up as you are going to try.
Thank you for the information again, from reading on this forum you are a very well informed gardener.

Deer feeding behavior favors with site and season. Fencing is the only sure source of relief.

I have laid tomato cages on there side around trees and the deer leave the plants alone. I think is acts as a fence. The deer likely feel the wire on their legs and can't see it well and don't like it.

David

"Deer feeding behavior favors with site and season. Fencing is the only sure source of relief."

Or a high-powered rifle with a scope!!! :-)

Try using some irish spring bar soap. Got this suggestion from a neighbor who swore by it. Cut into 3 or 4 chunks and place inside pantyhose and hang from a lower branch. The deer don't like the smell. After battling deer rubbing my trees and killing several I haven't had a single problem in 2 years now.

Here's a crazy suggestion -- you can pee on the ground. I planted a bunch of bamboo and the deer were eating the new shoots. So, at the suggestion of a local nursery person, I peed on the ground (but you have to have a place to pee that you won't kill any of your plants....)

And here's the really nutty part -- it has to be male pee. According to the nursery people. I thought they were full of it, but I have not had any problems with deer since...

I use it for 2 years and it works!

"I have used a similar solution for years. (We have 30-40 deer every night feeding on the field next to us and some adventuresome deer always manage to sneak in under the dog's nose.) Fill a 4 litre milk jug almost to the top with water. Take one egg. Whisk or beat the egg really well, DO NOT STRAIN. Pour into milk jug and close lid. Shake back and forth to mix. Now, pour some into a small squirt bottle and as you are walking around your acreage or yard mist the plants you do not want the deer to eat. You do not have to POUR the solution on your plants, a little mist goes a long way. Rain will wash it off. I reapply after EVERY rain or dew and otherwise about once a week, if no rain. I have NEVER noticed a smell of rotten eggs on my plants in hot weather. The mixture will smell if left unused for a few days and you will smell the solution as you are misting with old solution, but it goes away as it dries..... my garden does not smell in hot weather. The protein smell deters the deer. You can spray your plants with fresh or days-old mixture, both work. My spray bottle has been used for about 4 years and has NEVER "gummed up". Better solution... permanent solution...an eight foot fence or deer hunting season."

OK, the pee thing is a little out there! Just get some deer repellant for Pete's sake!! :-)

30 caliber and or bow works best . They never come back .

I use the metal frames from election yard signs. They can be placed around the trees and pulled out and put away when not needed. They also prevent buck rubbing. Best thing is the signs are free after the election!

golf4good,

Plantskydd is supposed to keep deer and rabbit away. I cannot vouch for deer since there are no deer where I live, but worked great for rabbits. Spray once on the plants and it last for 3 to 4 months. The smell is bad for a couple of hours, and then goes away. Made with pig's blood.

xman

Here is a link that might be useful: Plantskydd Deer repellent

I Must Garden Deer repellent works well...I alternate that with Tree Guard. I can't stand foul smelling deer sprays. During the active growing season I spray every other week. Once things aren't putting out new growth I cut back to once/month.

May have to give plantskyd a try...