On 1/23/2010 1:17 PM, brooklyn1 wrote:
On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:59:44 -0800 (PST), Frank
wrote:

On Jan 23, 8:52 am, wrote:
Are there Herbs that will deter Deer from the garden?

MJ

There are things they don't eat but nothing I know of will keep them
away from the stuff they like.
As others suggest, fence is the only answer and avoid repellents as if
they even work they wash off eventually.
Only vegetable in my garden deer did not eat was onions.

Right, deer won't eat alliums, they won't eat daffodils either. There
are many plants that they won't touch unless they're starving, like
spruce (spruce needles are too sharp, they won't risk nibbling
hawthorn either) but when hungry enough they will eat sharp needled
and thorny plants. And for some reason deer won't eat blueberry
bushes but they will eat the berries, if the birds don't get them
first... I've seen crows take on deer for blueberries and win every
time. The only thing that works to keep deer out is strong fencing,
deer will push through a wood picket fence that's only been nailed. As
to fence height, a lot depends on terrain, unless there is space and
the ground is such for deer to get into a full run they are not going
to clear a six foot fence... and deer aren't stupid, they are not
going to jump a fence into an enclosed space that is too small, they
know how much running space they need to get out, they truly look
before they leap. Deer can leap a great distance but they can't
attain the height some like to think they can. When it comes to
survival deer sensory perception is far more acute then humans... a
deer knows it's physical capability better than any
olympic/professional athlete ever lived. A fawn is taught to run,
leap, dodge and evade from the moment it can stand. I've watched new
born fawns go through their paces together for hours, it only looks
like frolicking to humans but their every movement is deadly serious
business, to deer it's the difference between life and death. Unless
they are being persued by a pack of coyotes a six foot fence will
definitely keep deer out of a typical tract home yard, and if being
persued by preditors deer are not going to stop to snack.

Netting works well too around some plants and bushes.
They are generally browsers and nibble here and there and move on.
Little things may deter them but when starving they will eat anything
and die with a full stomach of food that would not sustain them.
They will even climb steps to eat something on your porch.