Doggone Deer!

by Samantha Zale

Like the old adage says: April showers bring May flowers! Already, we may be starting to see the fruits of our labor!

Up to this point we have been paying attention to the weather and sticking to a good watering schedule. If you have any questions at this point, please visit your garden center to get tips from those folks. This is the stage in the process where we need to make sure that we are protecting our plantings from critters, especially deer. Living in a metropolitan area like St. Louis, deer may not be in the forefront of our minds. Unfortunately, the effects of deer are things that many of us need to be able to deal with all year long. The reason why plants are considered resistant to deer in the first place typically has to do with strong scents, coarse, thorny textures, and yucky tastes.

From spring and going through the fall deer can cause a lot of damage in our gardens. In the spring and summer we see very young deer on the move and they start nibbling on things that deer may not normally eat. For example; peppers, lantana, salvia, coneflowers, ornamental grasses, boxwoods and barberries to name a few. What starts to happen when people see these plants getting munched on is that they don’t give these plants another try or they get mad at the people who sold it to them. Please don’t get mad at the garden center folks because they cannot guarantee what happens in nature. If you are able to talk to the folks at your garden center about your situation, they should be able to provide good recommendations. They should also never say it’s guaranteed because nothing in nature can ever be guaranteed!

As summer progresses to fall, many young trees, especially trees with thin caliper trunks, can be damaged by deer rubbing their antlers. Physical barriers are going to be the best bet for these situations because the deer then won’t be able to reach the trunk. The main reason why we need to physically protect these trees is because if too much bark tissue gets damaged, it creates a wound that can expose the tree to further issues. For example, they can become more susceptible to infections and opportunistic pests. And the deeper the wound is, the harder it is for the tree to heal itself. There are many products on the market to help from chemical treatments to physical barriers. Milorganite, Liquid Fence, tree bark protectors, and fencing are a few of the most common options. Milorganite is a granular product that is typically sold as a lawn fertilizer, however, because of the pungent aroma deer tend to stay away from it. The aroma can get washed away after heavy rains or frequent waterings, so re-application may be needed. You also have to remember if the deer can smell it, so can you. So, if you put it on plants near your patio, you might not be a happy camper. Liquid Fence is one brand of several types of products that have spray-on applications or granular applications meant to deter deer by scent and taste. Some use capsaicin, which is a chemical compound that gives peppers their spice.

Tree bark protectors need to be of a rigid plastic material that has ventilation holes so it doesn’t become a breeding ground for fungi. And most big box stores carry many varieties of fencing materials that may also do the trick.

Please don’t hesitate to talk to the folks at your garden center to get some recommendations of the best deer resistant plants for your situation. The more information you bring with you about your space, the better those folks will be at being able to make recommendations.

Now, with all that said, it’s time to get back at it.