Natural Deer Repellent for Yard and Garden

Repel deer from your yard and garden naturally without harming the deer.  I reside directly next to 50 acres of dense forest and every March when the snow melts and the temperature turns warm, my spring bulbs and flowering shrubs will start to emerge. Tulips are favored by the deer and herds of deer will find their way to my yard and garden.  

Many people believe that the deer eat tulips and other spring blooming plants because they are hungry.  However deer will eat seek your tulip gardens in the early spring because the plant is a good food source and because the stem of tulip provides the deer with hydration.  Tulips are rich in calcium and bucks need the calcium for spring antler development.  The doe needs the calcium for proper development of her fawn. Tulips may provide the deer with a balanced diet however that does not mean that they are welcome in my yard and garden.

Repel Deer from Garden

One way to stop the deer from eating your tulips and other spring bulbs is to mix the bulbs with daffodils.  Deer do not like the taste or the scent of the daffodil and will avoid the garden.  

Plan a spring garden that features rows of daffodils that are in the front, side and back of the tulips. The deer will then pick up the scent of the daffodils and will avoid the tulips.

Another way to repel deer from your yard and garden is with dog hair.  Brush your dog and remove the hair from the brush.  Set the fresh dog hair in your tulip garden, or around your Azaleas, Rose, Hosta, Hibiscus and Camellias.  The scent of the dog hair will repel the deer; however you must replenish the dog hair on a regular basis as the scent will fade.

Through trial and error I developed a natural repellent that consisted of assorted hot peppers.  I slow cooked the hot peppers and when it was ready I poured the formula into a sprayer.  I applied the batch of homemade pepper formula to my gardens and flowering shrubs and I watched and waited for the deer. 

Deer did not approach my gardens that were drenched in the potent pepper formula. The nasty tasting pepper formula works however you must reapply weekly so that it stays potent and you must apply after rain, sprinkler or snow.  Moisture weakens the scent and taste. This pepper spray is good when used during a drought or when no rain in in the forecast.

 Here is the recipe for an effective deer repellant.

1/2 cup of dehydrated whole egg
1 cup jalapeno juice
1/4 cup cayenne pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped onions
1 quart of water

Mix ingredients in a saucepan and cook on the stove until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow the solution to cool to room temperature. Strain and then pour liquid into spray bottle. Spray the natural repellent on your tulips at dusk. For maximum strength, you will apply the solution every 2-3 days.

Other Natural Deer Repellents

Keep deer away from your plants with natural deer repellent.  Cedar creek makes a granular product that you use in your gardens.  I have a lot of deer and had tried everything to repel them; it is safe to say that I had my doubts about the product but was willing to try it.  I spread the deer repellent in my Hosta garden and I also filled 6 small bags (they come with the product).  The bags were filled with ¼ cup of the deer repellent and then I hung them throughout my yard.  Some were hung on low hanging tree branches, others on shrubs and a few on in ground stakes.  I also spread the deer repellent in my hosta gardens, rose gardens and around my tulips and hibiscus shrubs.

I like the Cedar Ridge natural deer repellent because it is easy to use and it works.  There is no need to refill the bags or reapply the solution your gardens.  Other products you have to reapply after it gets wet; rain or sprinkler. The scent is intensified when it gets wet and product is effective for up to six months.  

My neighbor told me about another natural deer product.  He used Deer Scram and it is also effective when applied around your plants and flowers.  

If you want to keep the deer out of your yard completely you would shake the Deer Scram granules along the perimeter and shake into your flower gardens and around your trees and shrubs.  Apply an ample amount of this product so that the scent provides a barricade.  Deer will avoid your yard because of the scent, they will not enter your yard to drink from your pond or nibble on your plants.  Deer scram is effective for up to 30 days, retains strength during rain and snow.  Reapply every 30 days.