It’s that time of year again — your garden is planted, and soon, you will be ready to harvest your crops. The problem is that you probably aren’t the only one watching your garden grow! Deer know when it’s time to start picking the corn, beans, and cabbage before you have a chance to beat them to it. If food is scarce, there isn’t a lot they won’t eat. Even hot peppers are at risk. Now is the time to act if you want to keep deer out of the garden.

Physical Barriers to Keep Deer Out

One option for deterring deer is to put up a physical barrier. These include:

Deer Garden Fence

A deer garden fence is often considered the best remedy for keeping deer out. But it is an expensive option, especially for large gardens. Deer fence is made of woven galvanized wire that resists weathering and wear and tear. The wire comes in a roll of various heights and lengths.

If you’ve ever seen a deer flee from your yard, you know that they are capable of jumping quite high. When there’s food on the other side of that fence, it doesn’t serve as an effective obstacle.

A deer garden fence should be at least eight feet high to make it deer-proof. Shorter fences may deter deer, especially if there are other food sources nearby. You can also combine a shorter fence with deer repellent for maximum impact.

Electric Fence

An electric fence is the next level and often the choice of annual gardeners. When deer encounter an electric fence, they typically opt to detour around it rather than go over or under it. Once they experience an initial shock, they leave rather than risk a repeat experience.

An electric deer fence has a very low amperage, so the shock is mild and harmless to children and pets. The idea is to deliver a surprising shock and not one that causes damage.

Deer Netting

Deer netting is a more affordable and humane alternative to wire and electric fences. It is made from environmentally safe mesh netting created from polypropylene strands. UV treatment gives the net long-lasting durability. The small openings also keep smaller animals out of the garden, such as rabbits. You can put up the netting after plowing or tilling the garden instead and remove it once the garden is depleted for the year.

Shrubbery

A natural way to create a border is by planting dense hedges and bushes. Tall shrubbery can impact the deer’s view and may prevent them from entering the yard. Deer aren’t as likely to enter an area when they can’t see what dangers await on the other side.

Physical barriers are effective at keeping deer out of the garden, but most take some effort and expense to install and maintain. If you don’t want to commit to installing a deer-proof fence or maintaining a shrubbery border, deer repellent is a much easier method of deterring deer.

What Is Deer Repellent?

Deer repellent is a product that contains odors deer don’t like. They might be sprayed or dusted onto garden plants, placed near the plants you want to protect, or around the perimeter of a smaller garden. Deer repellents have a pungent smell and taste even worse. Using a good-quality product will help prevent a hungry deer from going around the product to get to your plants.

Many gardeners think of Liquid Fence as the best deer repellent. This product doubles as a deer and rabbit repellent to further minimize damage to your garden plants. Often, gardeners must alternate between repellent types because deer adjust to the odor. The animals’ aversion to Liquid Fence never diminishes, so rotation with other brands is never required.

Appeal to the deer's natural instinct of fear with Shake-Away Coyote Urine Granules. The deer repellent is 100% organic and it's targeted toward whitetail deer. Time-released coyote urine-soaked granules also deter elk, armadillos, javelina, wild boar, and feral pigs. The non-toxic product is long-lasting and safe for you, your plants, and your animals.

Granules can also be applied around the perimeter of your garden to deter animals, and they don't break down as much as liquid repellents do when it rains. Overall, granule deer repellent is easy to apply and largely effective at keeping deer out of the garden.

Deer and Rabbit Repellent Offers a Cost-Effective Deterrent for Your Garden

The best deer repellent is easy to apply and costs a lot less than the loss of produce you will experience without it. Use alone or with one of the barrier methods to suit your needs and to enjoy more of your hard-earned harvest.

Shop Grange Co-op for the Best Deer Repellent

Grange Co-op has what you need to keep deer and rabbits out of your garden with ease. Browse our line of deer deterrents to create a formidable barrier to rabbits and deer. Contact us to speak with a gardening expert to learn more about our products.