Deer Resistant Products We Have Tried That Work

Are you frustrated with deer defoliating your prized plants overnight? Are you ready to learn about some products that others have used that really do work ?

This summer we have tested some products that our local garden center and some catalogs offered to see which deer resistant products worked and which ones didn't. The following are the deer deterrents that we tried and the results.

The first product we used was Liquid Fence. This is a natural deer and rabbit repellent. It is true what the cover states... "It really works." Clark Kaskie , the inventor of Liquid Fence, developed this product out of frustration of having his plants eaten by all types of critters. After trying many different kinds of homemade remedies and expensive over the counter products, he decided to make his own repellent. Being a chemical engineer for over 60 years gave him a good idea of where to start. He knew he wanted it to be both environmentally safe and safe for the animals. After a few years of experimenting, he came up with this solution. His friends and wife tried it and told him that it worked "just like a liquid fence," so that's what he named it. All you do is spray the liquid liberally onto plants and their perimeter during a dry period. Repeat the process 1 week later and then approximately once per month thereafter. If areas where feeding pressure from deer and rabbits is intense, he suggests spraying it once a week for 3 weeks and then about once per month after that. You are really "training" the deer and rabbits to stay away. We found that this product smells pretty bad when you first apply it, but it really does work. We had some coneflowers that the rabbits where nipping at the stems. After applying this as directed, the nibbling stopped. We also had success with using it on our hibiscus trees and other annuals, perennials, as well as our gourds.

The second product we tested was The Wireless Deer Fence. It works like a baited electric fence but without the wires. Instead, it contains individual posts, 19 inches tall and weighing 6 ounces, that are positioned around plants that deer like and on deer paths into your yard or garden. The deer in your yard are attracted by a sweet smell to touch a post, then the post will deliver a harmless shock which frightens them from the area. It is recommended to use this product along with a deer resistant spray while you are "training" the deer. The idea is to put the post between 5 and 25+ feet apart where the deer will find them. The distance varies widely depending on terrain existing barriers, landscaping, etc.

We used this product mainly to keep the deer away from my new Pinky-Winkie hydrangeas. We still had a little damage while the deer were being trained, but I hadn't used a deer detterent spray on them at the time. The directions suggest this just while you are "training" the deer. With this product it helps to read all of the directions! I liked The Wireless Deer Fence. My Pinky-Winkies still haven't been eaten. It gives an added protection to using the Liquid Fence.

We tested these products in our 5 acre garden with a variety of deer resistant perennials, such as coneflowers, grasses, and hellebores. Plant as many of these types of plants as possible. That is your first tactic when gardening with deer. For more information on plants that deer don't like, visit http://www.flowers-plants-gardening-advice.com/deer-resistant-plants/. Even after you have planted several deer proof plants, you will still need to protect your other vegetation with some type of product.

As reported in the book Deerproofing Your Yard and Garden, by Rhonda Hart, if you take a look at state agricultural reports, you will see that deer do millions of dollars of damage each year. It's not surprising when you realize that one acre of a healthy environment can support 18-24 deer per square mile. These deer can consume 6 to 10 pounds of greenery per day. This equates to about half a ton of plants over the growing season. So, there goes your yard!

With Liquid Fence and The Wireless Deer Fence, along with planting deer resistant plants, you can at least learn to coexist with the deer and make the damage minimal. Both of these products have a money back guarantee.