Sure, Bambi is cute. But what’s not so cute is when she’s chowing down on your vegetable garden or devouring your hostas and daylilies. Even if you’ve never had deer visiting your yard before, there’s always a first time. And no plant—even those said to be “deer resistant”—is truly safe from their voracious appetites.
But you don’t have to give up and watch your neighborhood deer consume every bit of your (expensive!) flowers, shrubs, perennials, and edibles. “The best approach is an integrated strategy that uses a few different management techniques,” says Owen. “Animals will get used to anything, so you need to use multiple tactics.”
Deer will eat whatever’s seasonally abundant and available, so their diets change throughout the year to include things such as fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, grass, acorns, and crops. “They don’t stand in one place and devour the whole plant but rather graze selectively with a nibble here and there,” says Mengak. “They’ll eat things they’re not ‘supposed’ to eat, too, if they’re hungry enough and there is a large population of deer in the area.”
That’s why you may suddenly start seeing damage. As their numbers ebb and flow, or the seasons change and impact what’s out there to eat, deer may move into new areas. And if you’re not ready to take action, you may discover your yard has become their favorite all-you-can-eat-buffet. “They can eat five pounds of browse per day, which is about a ton per year,” says Owen.
Like other wildlife such as squirrels and rabbits, they also carry ticks, which is another good reason to keep deer at a distance, says Sheldon. Discouraging all wildlife from sticking too close to your living areas can be helpful for reducing your exposure to ticks that may be carrying diseases they can pass on to you and your pets.
Besides planting things less preferred by deer, you can try a few other approaches to make your garden less welcoming. For best results, try combining a few techniques, say Owen and Mengak:
Of course, sometimes you’ll see deer wandering through your garden. Deer typically are most active and browsing at dusk and right before sunrise, says Mengak. But you occasionally may see them moving around during the day, too.
Deer browse damage is distinctive, if you know what to look for. Because deer have no upper incisors, leaves and branches will look as if they were torn or ripped off. It’s different from rabbit damage, which is a clean cut that appears as if it was snipped off with scissors, says Mengak. Also, deer typically feed from ground level to about 6 feet up, though they can stand on their hind legs to feed, too.
Generally, deer don’t prefer plants that are fuzzy, highly aromatic, spiny, or spiky. However, there are no absolutes. “They’ll eat plants that aren’t their preferred foods if necessary,” says Owen. “For example, rhododendrons and American holly are not their favorites, but I’ve seen them get devoured when there’s nothing else out there to eat.”
Check with your local university coop extension service (find yours here) to learn what plants typically are deer-resistant in your area. But remember that deer are individuals, and they all have their preferences, so there are no guarantees on what they will or won’t eat, says Mengak.
