The buck stops now. You’ve worked hard on your garden and now that Summer is here you can’t let the deer win. Here are a few tips you can use to perform effective deer control.

1) Plant Perennials as a barrier around your garden

Deer rely heavily on their sense of smell to find an appetizing meal. Deerbusters suggests that home owners plant strong scented herbs such as garlic, lavender and mint to mask the sweet smell of nearby annuals. If the deer go for the perennials, then you know that they will stop at nothing to get to better tasting food.

2) Plant thorn bushes or flowers

Deer like the sweet smell of flowers such as roses; but if you plant barberries, or cleome near the plants you want to protect, then the deer will fear rummaging through the garden to reach the better tasting plants.

3) Spray or shake deer repellents

Deerbusters’ Deer repellents are great choices for warding off deer. Usually, deer will sense a predator nearby (so they think) from coyote urine, wolf urine or fox urine sprinkled around the property line; and deer will run for the hills. See the full selection of non-toxic liquid deer repellents and granular deer repellents from Deerbusters.

4) Plant a border around your garden

Of course, Deerbusters has a wide range of strong poly deer fences for gardens; but another alternative would be to plant thick hedges and/or spruces. If deer can’t visibly see the garden, then they will most likely back down.

5) Don’t Get Sloppy Leaving Ripe Fruit

If you are growing fresh fruit or vegetables, bring them inside once ready to eat. If they aren’t in the garden, deer won’t be able to enjoy them. It’s that simple.

6) Operation Scare Tactic

There are many deer scare devices that a gardener can use including an air-activated whistle that will not damage the deer’s hearing, just make it uncomfortable.