Walking quietly toward the edge of our yard, the mother and baby were cute — until they started chomping away on our hardy hibiscus shrubs that were so healthy and lush.
And that’s how we were introduced to deer at our new yard.
For decades, I gardened without the threat of hungry deer decimating anything and everything. Now, I had to turn to the experts for advice on how to avoid the damage.
A friend recommended I use Bobbex, a spray-on product that repels deer with a stinky odour that quickly offended my nose. In fact, the odour is so pungent I could not leave the container in the garage.
After thoroughly spraying the two hibiscus bushes, I tucked the bottle under the grill cover. Liquid Fence and Deer Off are also deer-deterring products sold at garden centres and online, including Amazon.com.
Bobbex smells terrible, but it dissipates in 24 hours to humans, according to Greg Ecsedy, president of Bobbex. Animals, however, can still smell — and taste — the stuff. The product, which includes a special formula for roses, combines six scents, including rotten eggs, garlic, fish, clove oil and vinegar. It comes in ready-to-use and concentrated versions.
Best of all, Bobbex does not wash off in the rain, thanks to multiple sticking agents, so its impact lasts for 30 days, to which I can attest. For days, Ken and I sat at the windows, wondering happily why the deer did not return — although my four-year-old granddaughter, Mattie, was sad that they left. Soon, the hibiscus was lush and full again, with no sign of deer even 60 days later — after only one application of Bobbex.
Darl Fletcher, horticulture curator at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Va., offers these tips for dealing with deer:
- Sprinkle human hair around plants.
- Hang soap (preferably strong-scented deodorant soap) near plants.
- Sprinkle ground hot pepper on and around the plants (reapply after rain).
- Spray fox or coyote urine (available from sporting goods/hunting departments) around plants.
- Spray deer repellant (can purchase from home stores or made at home) on and around plants.
- Hang reflective items — such as old CDs/DVDs — near plants.
- Install motion-sensor lights near flower beds.
- Install fences around yard or garden.
— The Daily Press
