Lovely at a Distance

Deer. Graceful and gentle-eyed, they are a defining feature of life in Bucks County. If you are a gardener, your appreciation of their beauty may be jaded by their propensity to devour the most precious of your plantings.

A full-grown deer can consume over five pounds of food a day, and they’re not picky eaters. They’ll munch on leaves, stems and fresh buds of shrubs, trees and perennials, and they are particularly fond of fruits, vegetables, grains and flowers.

There are strategies for creating and maintaining a deer-free yard and garden. Leslie Guli, the master gardener behind Millefiori, recommends practical measures at the planning stage to minimize plant damage in the long term.

“One of the best things that people can do is to use deer-resistant native plants,” suggests Guli. “Natives will grow better because this is their preferred environment.” She reports that the mistake most people make is visiting nurseries and purchasing non-native plants. “It’s more of a search to get natives, and the nurseries can be quite far away. But using the right plants could ultimately avoid needing to control damage later.”

Guli recommends Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve as a local source for Pennsylvania flora. The Preserve showcases over 800 species of native plants and provides lists of deer-tolerant varieties. They do offer the caveat that no plant is truly deer resistant; if they are hungry enough, deer will eat anything.

“Personally, I love a really lush, full garden. I really love ferns, wild ginger, cohosh and bleeding heart,” said Guli. For larger trees and scrubs, her favorites include witch hazel, viburnum, beech and hornbeam—a small hardwood tree.

In an effort to maintain their deer-susceptible collection of threatened and endangered wildflowers, Bowman’s Hill installed a ten-foot fence around 100 acres of their grounds. Sometimes, fencing is the most practical solution. Guli explained, “Deer fences are necessary if you want certain plants, like hostas. You need to protect them completely. If you want to be super creative with the gardening, fencing is an option.”

The Penn State Cooperative Extension office in Doylestown recommends nothing short of an eight-foot fence around fruit crops; deer love fruit trees such as apple, peach, pear and plum, as well as any vegetable crops. Guli confirmed that this is the preferred method of protecting vegetable gardens.

She takes protection underground as well, digging chicken wire into a trench around the garden. She then runs two feet of wire horizontally, which deters moles and groundhogs from tunneling into a buffet feast.

Strategically planted garlic, onion and chives might detour rabbits and groundhogs, as will cayenne powder or red pepper that is sprinkled on foliage. Other ways to make the scent of your garden unappealing to foragers is to use pungent soaps. Hang bars of boxed Irish Spring soap around the vegetable patch to create an offensive barrier. Some people swear by human hair placed in cloth bags, but this is only likely to work with truly wild deer; our local friends are now unafraid of the smell of Bucks County residents.  The same holds true for motion-activated hawk or owl figures; critters quickly catch on that these are not a true threat.

Dogs are also effective for keeping deer at a picturesque distance.  Dogs are natural enemies to deer and love to give chase. Like any invader, deer will search elsewhere for an easier meal.

The most effective anti-deer dogs are medium to large breeds that keep barking to a minimum, retaining their ability to surprise their targets. Constant barking ends up being more annoying to humans than to deer, which become accustomed to the repetitious sound. Dogs that are tied up or fenced in a small area of the yard will not deter a hungry deer.

If you don’t want to invest in a tall fence around your entire property because of cost or aesthetics, an underground dog fence may be the solution.  A wire that emits a radio signal is buried around the protected area. The dog wears a collar and receives a harmless shock, similar to a static electricity shock. The wire can also protect areas where you don’t want your four-footed friends, while giving the dog maximum room to roam.

If you don’t have a dog to assist and physical fencing is not an option, a spray-on barrier might be a solution.  Liquid Fence ™ is made from putrid egg solids and is environmentally safe. It lasts about two weeks and needs to be reapplied after a heavy rain.

“Don’t spray Liquid Fence directly on plants—apply it around the perimeter of the property, on fences, trees and the ground,” said Guli. “Spray as if you want a high fence. It’s intended to be used as a border.” She also likes Deer Out ™, a peppermint-scented spray that lasts three or four months. It contains gum Arabic and hydrogenated vegetable oil, so it sticks on leaves. It’s not as readily available, but some nurseries in the area carry it.

It’s breathtaking to stop beside a misty field early in the morning and watch frolicking fawns. It’s a joy to bring your favorite natural elements closer to home to enjoy while you look out a window from a cozy chair or while you take a stroll in the yard. You can peacefully coexist with both flora and fauna in Bucks County with a little strategic planning.