Gardening in Deer Country
Bob Nixon
College of
Agriculture and
Natural Resources
How to Garden Successfully
in
Deer Country
Suggestions to help you grow
vegetables, flowers, & other plants
where deer eat just about everything
About this program
This program is based on a voluntary survey of
Howard County Master Gardeners and garden
club members about gardening in deer
country.
It was researched and drafted by Bob Nixon,
Howard County Master Gardener and revised
for statewide distribution by Jonathan Kays,
Extension Specialist, Natural Resources,
University of Maryland
What we’re going to discuss
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Facts about deer
Publications about deer & gardening
Deer & vegetables & small fruits
Deer & flowers (perennials)
Deer & shrubs & trees
7-point summary
Deer, love ‘em or …
Maryland deer history
• 1634: Fr. Andrew White, priest & journalist, wrote
that deer were so plentiful “that they are rather an
annoyance than an advantage.” Native Americans and
colonists used deer for food & clothing, with increasing
exports of venison & hides to Europe.
• 1729: Legislature prohibited deer hunting between
January 15 and July 31. Fine: 400 lbs of tobacco for
each infraction.
• 17th through 19th Centuries: Forests of eastern and
central counties cleared for agriculture. Natural
predators—wolves, mountain lions, bears—
exterminated. No limits on deer killed.
Deer in the 20th Century
• 1902: So few deer remained in Maryland that hunting
prohibited
• 1910 deer population (est.)
– U.S.A., 500,000
– Maryland, <2000, nearly all in 4 western counties (Garrett,
Allegany, Washington, & Frederick)
– Howard County, zero to <100
• 1910s through 1930s: Deer imported from Michigan and
Pennsylvania. Then the increasing local herds used to establish
new herds around state.
• 1927: Deer hunting resumes in Allegany County, with five
bucks killed.
Deer now
• 2009 to 2010 Maryland hunting season
– 100,663 killed statewide
• Current deer population (est.)
– U.S.: >20 million
– Maryland: <230,000
Detailed information
• Maryland White-tailed Deer Plan 2009-2018,
83 pp:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/
pdfs/2009-2018MarylandWTDeerPlan.pdf
• Some Maryland counties have comprehensive
deer management programs
How much do deer eat?
• 3,000 lbs per year compared to 1,500 lbs per year for
the average human
• 7 lbs per day. A healthy deer density is 18 to 30
deer/square mile. Problem herds are 100 deer/sq. mi
or more
• Example: 100 deer X 7 lbs/day equals 4900 lbs/week,
21,000 lbs/month, and 255,500 lbs/year
• This food is not available in small woodlots of
suburbia, which is why lawns, hedges, and flower
beds attract deer
Deer diet
• January to March: Coniferous browse, deciduous bark
& dry leaves, acorns and other nuts, winter fruits such
as rose hips, sumac, & poison ivy (4 to 5 lbs/day).
• April to June: Herbaceous plants & grasses followed
by buds & shoots of shrubs & trees (7 to 10 lbs/day).
• July & August: Herbaceous vegetation, young leaves,
new growth of shrubs and trees, gardens.
• September to December: Soft (fruits) & hard (nuts)
mast. Acorns make up to 50% of diet. Bramble leaves,
mushrooms, gardens.
Typical diet, but …
“Deer will attempt to eat almost anything if their
population is high and they are running out of
food. That happens most often in times of
drought or near the end of a colder-than-normal
winter.” Scott Aker, horticulturist, U.S. National
Arboretum.
Why do deer prefer
tender grasses and
herbaceous plants,
buds, leaves, and
new growth of
shrubs and trees?
Deer have incisors only on the bottom, so they pull/pinch
rather than cut their forage. Their bottom incisors impact
on upper pad of cartilage. They also recognize the
nutritional value of fertilized vegetation.
Free publications: HGIC Fact Sheets 655 &
810 and Extension Bulletin 354C
FS 655: Resistance of
Ornamentals to Deer Damage
FS810: Using Commercial
Repellants to Manage Deer
Browsing in the Landscape
EB354C: Options for managing
deer damage: fencing,
repellents, vegetation mgt, &
population management
http://extension.umd.edu/woodland/yourwoodland/publications-library (tab for wildlife and insect
damage)
Vegetables & small fruits deer don’t eat
1. “Can’t think of one”
2. Onions, garlic
3. Some herbs, such as parsley, fennel
mints, sages
Recommendation 1 for protecting
veggies & small fruits
Fencing is best: 8 ft or
higher fence of wire
or plastic…
Costly to install but low maintenance
and effective
Montgomery Co Master Gardeners
References: Managing Deer Damage (EB354C)
More on fencing to protect veggies & small fruits
Shorter fences and electric fences
using baited electric polytape or
wire are good for small areas
Paul K.
Lake Elkhorn Community Gardens
References: Managing Deer Damage (EB354C)
Recommendation 2 for protecting
veggies & small fruits
Herding dog with “Invisible Fence”
works well but dogs must be left out
at night when deer feed
Gromit
Taunting Gromit
Photos: Cindy M.
References: Managing Deer Damage (EB354C)
Recommendation 3 for protecting
veggies & small fruits
Use netting on fruiting shrubs & trees, but it’s
often hard to reuse.
Kent Phillips’
blueberry
cage
Recommendation 4 for protecting veggies &
small fruits
Repellent sprays containing ingredients that offend a
deer’s sense of taste or smell (rotten eggs, fish or
meat byproducts, bitter taste) work best. Few
products are labeled for edible plants. Most are for
ornamentals, so read labels carefully. Those labeled
for edibles wash off during rain.
You must reapply repellents periodically, especially
after rains or when plants are putting out new
growth.
Reference: Using Comm. Deer Repell. (FS810)
Using commercial deer repellents (FS810)
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
If deer pressure very high, will not be effective.
What works in one area may not work in another.
Must be reapplied about every 6-8 weeks, possibly longer.
Change repellent & active ingredient annually.
Buy in concentrate form (usually from internet) to reduce
cost. Ready-to-use formulations are expensive.
6) If deer are a long term problem, a fence may be a more
permanent & economical solution.
Recommendation 5: Support managed deer
hunts and community deer-harvest efforts
1) Too many deer is the problem.
2) Encourage HMO and local officials to work with
wildlife professionals to harvest deer in your area.
3) Support managed hunts and bow hunting on small
acreage properties.
4) Allowing high deer populations results in other
safety & environmental problems, such as lyme
disease, vehicle collisions, & damage to ecosystem.
What a wonderful cafeteria!
Recommendations for protecting flowers
1. Plant resistant
varieties (27
suggestions)
2. Have a good
fence—or a deerchasing dog
3. Plant in container
on deck
4. Use repellent sprays
5. Learn to live with
them but support
population
management efforts
N.B./Nota Bene/Please Note
The following lists of deer-resistant plants are
not definitive. They are based on the
experience of 28 local gardeners, and those
gardeners have not planted every kind of plant
to determine whether it is deer-resistant.
Also, deer diets differ from area to area.
So please use these lists as a starting point for
your personal experimentation. Study other
lists. Ask other neighborhood gardeners
about what works for them.
Remember!
1) Deer browsing resistance varies with changes
in deer populations, availability of alternative
foods, and environmental conditions.
2) Damage from browsing is most severe when
snow cover or extreme cold reduces
availability of other foods. Summer droughts
can cause similar problems.
3) When deer get hungry enough they will eat
anything.
27 Deer-resistant flowers
1. Daffodil 2. Bleeding Heart 3. Peony
4. Lily-of-the-Valley 5. Moss Phlox 6. Hardy Orchid
7. Garden Pinks 8. Stella d’Oro Daylily
9. Siberian Iris 10. Red Hot Poker 11. Lavender
12. Salvia 13. Beardtongue 14. Rose Campion
15. Daisy 16. Allium 17. Butterfly Weed
18. Blazingstar 19. Threadleaf Coreopsis
20. Blanket Flower 21. Lamb’s Ear 22. Yarrow
23. Russian Sage 24. Goldenrod 25. Spotted Mint
26. Sweet Autumn Clematis 27. Ornamental Grasses
Deer-resistant flower 1
Daffodil (Narcissus
spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 2
Bleeding Heart
(Dicentra spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 3
Peony (Paeonia
lactiflora)
Deer-resistant flower 4
Lily-of-the-Valley
(Convallaria majalis)
Deer-resistant flower 5
Moss Phlox, Moss-Pink
(Phlox subulata)
“Pull & spit”
Native*
Native* = Listed in Native Plants for
Wildlife Habitat and Conservation
Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay
Watershed, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service (2005 ed.)
Deer-resistant flower 6
Hardy Orchid, Chinese
Ground Orchid
(Bletilla striata)
Deer-resistant flower 7
Garden Pinks
(Dianthus plumarius)
Deer-resistant flower 8
Stella d’Oro Daylily
(Hemerocallis ‘Stella
d’Oro’)
Deer eat most hybrid
daylilies & all other
lilies (Lilium spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 9
Siberian Iris (Iris
sibirica)
Deer-resistant flower 10
Red Hot Poker, Torch
Lily, Tritoma
(Kniphofia spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 11
Lavender (Lavandula
spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 12
Salvia (Salvia spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 13
Beardtongue, Foxglove
(Penstemon digitalis)
Native
Deer-resistant flower 14
Rose Campion (Lychnis
coronaria)
Deer-resistant flower 15
Daisy (Chrysanthemum
spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 16
Allium (Allium spp.)
Many colors and
heights; mostly latespring bloomers
Deer-resistant flower 17
Butterfly Weed
(Asclepias tuberosa)
Native
Deer-resistant flower 18
Blazingstar,
Gayfeather (Liatris
spicata)
Native
Deer-resistant flower 19
Threadleaf Coreopsis
(Coreopsis
verticillata)
Native
Deer-resistant flower 20
Blanket flower
(Gaillardia spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 21
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys
byzantina)
Deer-resistant flower 22
Yarrow (Achillea spp.)
Achillea millefolium ‘Cerise Queen’
Deer-resistant flower 23
Russian Sage
(Perovskia spp.)
Deer-resistant flower 24
Spotted Mint,
Horsemint, Spotted
Bee-Balm (Monarda
punctata)
Native
Deer-resistant flower 25
Goldenrod (Solidago
spp.)
Native
Does NOT cause hay
fever
Deer-resistant flower 26
Sweet Autumn
Clematis (Clematis
terniflora)
Deer-resistant flower 27
Ornamental grasses
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum)
Blue Fescue (Festuca
glauca ‘Elijah Blue’)
“Deer-resistant Dozen,” by Michelle Leise
Gardening How-To magazine, Feb. 2010
• Bee balm (Monarda didyma)
• Boxwood (Buxus spp.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
Lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantina)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Ornamental grasses
Peony (Paeonia spp.)
Prostate (or creeping) speedwell (Veronica prostrata)
Sage (Salvia spp.)
Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)
Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)
Plants deer don’t eat: Joel Lerner’s
Green Scene column, Wash Post, April 20,
2010
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Viburnums
Magnolias
Thorny hollies
Hellebores
Rohdeas
Foxgloves
Irises
Daffodils
Catmints
Recommendations for protecting shrubs
and trees
1. Plant resistant
varieties
2. Protect shrubs
and tree trunks
against “rubbing”
3. Protect trees
below “browse
line”
Deer-resistant shrubs & trees
S1.
S2.
S3.
S4.
Boxwood
Lilac
Heather
Butterfly Bush
T1. Junipers
T2. Spruces
Deer-resistant shurb 1
Boxwood (Buxus
sempervirens)
Deer-resistant shrub 2
Lilac (Syringa spp.)
Syringa vulgaris ‘Sensation’
Deer-resistant shrub 3
Heather (Calluna spp.)
Deer-resistant shrub 4
Butterfly Bush
(Buddleia davidii)
Some varieties
considered invasive
or “noxious weed”
‘Pink Delight’
Deer-resistant trees 1
Junipers (Juniperus
spp. )
Juniperus chinensis ‘Sea Green’
Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’
Deer-resistant trees 2
Spruces (Picea spp.)
Picea pungens ‘Montgomery’
Picea pungens aka Colorado Blue
Spruce
Protect shrubs & trunks of young trees
from fall “rubbing”
Bucks remove dead
“velvet” and polish
their new antlers in
October and November
by using trunks of
young trees and
branches of shrubs
If the buck rubs through
the bark all around a
trunk, the tree may die
More examples of rubbing
Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
Redosier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
Protect trees below “browse line,”
about 5’ from ground to lower limbs
Black gum (Tupelo) with trunk protector
and with cage to browse line
Use welded wire (2”x3”), not
plastic mesh or chicken
wire, plus two stakes, both
preferably iron, to protect
to browse line. Hang wire
high enough for your
mower to clear.
Trunk protector can be
hardware cloth, plastic,
even plastic stake or rebar.
Conventional wisdom
about food preferences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Deer avoid toxic plants – Daffodil
Deer avoid fuzzy-leaved plants – Lamb’s Ear
Deer avoid aromatic herbs – Spotted Mint
Deer avoid strong-tasting plants – Allium
Deer avoid prickly-leaved plants – Spruce
Your local deer may ignore conventional
wisdom and may not read lists of deerresistant plants, so experiment and see what
works in your yard
Summary of suggestions for successful
gardening in deer country
1. Install a fence.
2. Plant resistant varieties.
3. Use dog to chase deer out of the yard.
4. Spray repellents persistently.
5. Protect shrubs & young trees up to the
“browse line” (about 5’+).
Summary of suggestions for successful
gardening in deer country (cont.)
6. Remember that deer don’t read “don’t eat”
lists & in tough times will eat about anything.
7. Plant enough so you won’t mind sharing
some. Read and comparing notes with other
gardeners.
8. Do what you can to reduce the number of
deer because high deer populations damage
the environment & endanger safety.
The End
Resources
• Grow It! Eat It!
http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit
– We have all types of practical food gardening tips and
information. Check out our popular blog!
• Home and Garden Information Center
http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You
can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.
– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click
“Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”
• Maryland Master Gardener Program
http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg
– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!
This program was brought to you by the
Maryland Master Gardener Program
Howard County
University of Maryland Extension