How to Protect Fruit Trees from Deer

People love looking out the kitchen window to see a doe and her fawn gracefully strolling through the backyard, until they start chewing on their favorite fruit trees. Commercial chemicals are on the market that are made for deer proofing trees, but here are some more natural solutions you can try that will keep children and other wildlife safe as well.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Spread blood meal mixed with human hair around the perimeter of the trees when deer proofing an area. Blood meal is available in most garden stores, and its awful smell is a natural deer repellent. A neighborhood barber or beauty salon will gladly give you some hair clippings.

2. Surround your fruit trees with plants that deer don't like. Plant low-growing thorny shrubs or a few rows of drooping leucothoe around the perimeter of the trees.

3. Add some crushed garlic to rotten eggs and spread that around the trees to create a smelly protective barrier. Deer seem to dislike garlic in particular and the eggs help add to the noxious smell while creating a paste for mixing with the garlic pieces.

4. Install fencing around fruit trees to help keep deer out. They love to strip the bark off trees. The fencing will help protect the bark, but if you need to protect low-hanging fruit, you'll need to fence a wide area around the trees.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to use commercial deer repellent, read the ingredients carefully to ensure the safety of pets and children that may come in contact with the treated area.
• When spreading natural repellents like blood meal or garlic, be sure to reapply every couple of weeks as rain will slowly wash it away.

[janeashurst]

on 5/6/2009 you have three choices, - tree guards, deer fencing or a deer cull.For free advice get in touch with Southern Counties Deer Management www.deercontrol.org.uk

[deerclick]

on 3/25/2008 This is a good list, but keeping deer out is even more complicated. I suggest Deeroscaping, having a whole deer control plan. You can read about deeroscaping and more about repellents at http://www.deer-departed.com