Operation Deer Defense: Tactics for Garden Glory

Fellow gardeners, are those elegant, antlered freeloaders treating your flower beds like their personal buffet? Fear not. It’s time to turn your garden from ‘all-you-can-eat’ into ‘members only.’ With a little know-how and a dash of determination, you can send Bambi browsing elsewhere.

Pick Plants That Taste Like Regret (to a Deer)

Despite their reputation for eating everything, deer actually have refined palates. They tend to avoid plants that are fuzzy, pungent, or downright prickly. Think lavender, yarrow, sage, coreopsis, Shasta daisies, Russian sage, coneflower, marjoram, and local standbys like Colorado spruce, pinyon pine, and juniper. Bonus: bees and butterflies will thank you, even if the deer won’t.

The Invisible Tripwire (a.k.a. Fishing Line Fence)

This one’s sneaky and satisfying. String clear fishing line about three feet high around your plants. Just enough to catch a deer off guard. One brush and they’ll spook faster than a tourist spotting a moose from their hot tub. It’s cheap, effective, and nearly invisible. Bonus: it’s fawn-proof too.

Spice, Soap, and Everything Unpleasant

Want to repel deer without breaking the bank? Raid your pantry and bathroom. Sprinkle crushed red pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, or onion flakes for a spicy or sulfurous surprise. Blood meal is another power move. High in nitrogen and smells like danger to deer (keep it away from curious dogs). For extra “ew” factor, toss human or pet hair around the garden. Your barber or groomer might even be willing to donate some.

And don’t stop there: grated Irish Spring soap, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, and wood ash all combine to make your garden smell less like Eden and more like “exit, stage left.” Bonus: many of these are great for your soil. Just remember to reapply after rain and rotate your ingredients so the deer don’t wise up.

Mulch Like You Mean It

If deer are daintily tiptoeing through your tulips, make the ground less cozy. Sharp or uncomfortable textures like pinecones, gravel, or crushed oyster shells turn your beds into a no-stomp zone. Scatter them around prized plants or along well-worn deer paths. Not only will your garden feel less inviting to hooves, but you’ll also boost drainage and texture. Win-win.

With a few clever tricks and a sprinkle of persistence, your garden can go from all-you-can-eat to off-limits. So stand your ground, gardeners of Routt County. Bambi’s Bistro is officially closed.

Have gardening questions?

The CSU Routt County Extension Office and Master Gardener Help Desk are ready to help. Stop by Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through September. Contact: (970) 879-0825 or rcextension@co.routt.co.us

Sarah Storm is a CSU Extension Master Gardener Apprentice based in Routt County. She believes a thriving garden and respectful coexistence with wildlife can go hand in hoof. Sarah combines her passion for environmental education and hands-on gardening to help others grow with confidence.