How I Protect Trees From Deer Rubbing Damage

In my second year with our garden I experienced the joys and wonders of living with deer. In the three and a half years since I've learned a lot about protecting plants from deer but I still suffer from their exploits frequently. Most notably this year the deer discovered my vegetable garden for the first time. Maybe you noticed the lack of vegetable garden posts in 2010? The combination of super heat in July and August, marauding deer, and the ever continuing dryness pretty much knocked it out by the end of July. (If this dryness ever ends I might actually get some greens going!)

Needless to say the deer have been my nemesis. That first year in our garden I planted several trees. Mostly maples but also a Yoshino Cherry, a dogwood, and a purple leaf plum. That fall I experienced my first deer rubbing. Well I actually didn't - the trees did! You see in the fall antlered deer like to rub the fuzz off their horns against soft young trees. I didn't know this back then but I do now - you have to protect your young trees if you have deer near. In that season the deer killed the dogwood and nearly killed all the others by scratching the cambium layer right off the trunk. Fortunately the trees that survived were left with enough bark to continue their natural processes without any impact but that dogwood was one unlucky dog. That year I learned my lesson and you can believe that after seeing 5 deer near our yard - one of which had 4 points - I'm going to protect them.

How do you protect a tree from deer rubbing?

I like to use a plastic mesh that allows air to circulate around the tree yet is enough of an impediment to prevent the deer antlers from messing with the trunk. I bought a 15'x3' roll of the mesh and cut it into three 5 foot sections. Then I cut each 5 foot section into 2 18"x5' sections. I used the longest side to wrap vertically around the trunk. Then I used twist ties to bind the mesh together. It works much easier than cutting through thick perforated pipe but is another effective way to prevent deer from rubbing the bark.


How do you deal with the deer?

Three Perennial Plants Never Touched By Deer

Never say never right?  In my experience there are very few plants that are truly safe from deer.  This year I've had big time deer issues.  The extra tomato bed I planted was completely devoured by the two deer that are camping out in our backyard.  That isn't shocking really.  I wasn't able to put a good fence around any of and I'm paying the price for that lack of foresight.  However not all plants are subject to deer sampling.  There are three plants in my garden that have never (to my knowledge) been eaten by the deer.

Artemisia
Artemisia is a beautiful silver colored plant that has a lot of impact due to the foliage.  I recommend planting 'Powis Castle' or 'Silver Mound' over some of the other types as they can spread.  Both 'Powis Castle' and 'Silver Mound' are easy to keep under control.  They like full sun and good drainage and aren't very picky plants at all!

Russian Sage
Russian sage (Perovskia artiplicifolia) is a great plant for full sunny locations.  The purple flowers are highly attractive to pollinators.  The leaves give of a strong scent which is probably why the deer do not partake of it.

Catmint
Catmint and its cousin catnip are both pretty much deer proof in my garden.  Catmint doesn't attract the kitties like catnip and has a very nice minty scent when cut or brushed against.  It grows prolifically and is covered in blue flowers through the summer that are very attractive to bees and small butterflies.

Do you have deer issues?  What plants have you found that are deer proof?

Another Episode of Dealing with Deer

For while I thought the deer were gone.  Then this spring we saw the telltale signs of the whitetail deer.  The hoof prints, the nibbles and the um...other signs. Then came the sightings. A single doe came strolling through the backyard taking nibbles of various plants.  Fortunately most of the plants in our garden are deer resistant so the deer stayed away from those. Eventually she found the vegetable garden. In one evening most of the remaining spring greens were gone and a small sample of strawberry leaves was taken. This is where I became wise, or maybe just determined, and I found a solution - animal netting. I posted posts around the garden and hooked 7 foot mesh all around the garden. There were a few stretches I ran short of mesh and substituted strands of garden twine in between the posts to give the illusion of an obstacle. I'm not foolish enough to think this solution is 100% deer proof but when easier pickings are available elsewhere (like a neighbor's vegetable garden down the road)  it seems to work out just fine!

Now there are three deer to worry about. A doe and two fauns, just take a peak at the video as they wander through our backyard.

A while back when I was looking into deer-in-the-garden solutions I contacted the Havahart company who specializes in animal safe repellents. I found a really interesting device and requested it to try out in my garden. It's a sprayer that is hooked up to a motion sensor. When the animal is in range it sets off the sprinkler the animal gets a surprise bath! The idea is that they won't like the bath, will get scared off and will avoid the area in the future. I received the spray device about 6 weeks ago but haven't been able to test it yet due to the unpredictable events of life. I'll set it up this week and see how it functions - I'm sure my kids will enjoy giving it a test in the hot and humid days of summer.  After that I'll arrange it to see if I can spray and repel the wandering deer.

Have you ever tried Spray Away? If so how did it work for you?