Or, you’ve moved to a rural location for the very reason that you don’t want to be boxed in by fencing.
While a tall, solid wood fence or electric fence are the most likely means to keep deer out long-term, these are not realistic options for many of us.ĭepending on your location, the right type of fence-at the right height-may not even be permitted or within your budget. Have a look at the suggestions and see what you might try in your garden. Over time, deer grow accustomed to deterrents and, to stay a half step ahead, you’ll need to keep changing things up. Realistically, unless you’ve got the resources to build a mega deer fence completely enclosing your garden, protecting your plants from deer will be, at best, managed, not cured. I had one friend tell me her deer would use the sprinkler as a massager!
A blast from the motion-detector sprinkler is suddenly not so scary on a hot, humid summer evening. Plants deemed repulsive to deer quickly rise to the top of the menu when other food sources are scarce. Fences may work for a while, but, unless, designed just right, some smarty pants deer will make the first jump and her friends follow suit. There are different species in different regions but one thing we all agree on: deer do not abide by deer-deterring tips. While deer have been called “North America’s largest garden pest,” our gardening friends in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand also have to deal with them. Or strip all the bark off tree trunks-as far up as they can reach on their tippy toes. Just one or two deer dropping by overnight is all it takes to wipe out your hostas, strawberries, or tulips. That allows me to mulch and harvest the trees in the summer without bothering with the line, and quickly put the line back up in the winter to keep the trees safe.If you have deer frequenting your garden, you know how frustrating it can be. The deer in these parts tend to strip the bark in the winter, but in the summer there are easier pickings. Each small section has a fishing line fence, and in some areas, I put 3 stakes and fishing line around individual trees.įor trees near the house, the fishing line goes up in the wintertime and comes down during the summer months. We have gardens and orchards throughout our 30 acres, and it’s impossible to deer fence it all. Trust me, you need 2 strands and that second strand only takes an extra minute and another 10 cents worth of fishing line. I’ve watched deer grazing, walking with their head down, go right underneath the higher strand without even touching it. Run a second strand about 18 inches above the ground too. Tie it to stakes about 3 feet above the ground, or nose height for a deer. They’ll just see it as a regular fence and hop right over.Ĭhoose something light, like 10 to 15-pound test fishing line. The problem is, anything sufficient to catch a marlin on the open sea is also thick enough that the deer can see it. 
Quite simply, I didn’t want them to walk right through it. The first time I tried the “fishing line trick” I got the heftiest fishing line I could find. The trick is to pick low test fishing line. If their nose bumps into an obstacle that they can’t see, they’ll stop. Of course, they could walk right through it, or jump right over it, but they don’t know that.Ī deer will spot the tasty produce in your garden, and start going for it. A confused deer gives up quickly and moves on to easier forage.Ī few strands of fishing line on stakes wrapped around the garden can be incredibly effective at deterring deer. If they run up against a barrier that they can feel, but they can’t see, it’ll confuse them. How do you keep deer from destroying the garden without spending a fortune?įortunately, deer don’t know that humans haven’t quite yet mastered force field technology. While 8-foot tall deer fencing may be effective, it’s not practical for most gardeners. You’ve spent months working on your garden, and a few days before the harvested deer come by to harvest it for you.
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