Monday, August 2, 2010

Deer Proofing with Plants

Deer Proofing Your Garden…With Plants

July 23, 2010
By Small Town Living
What?! ?? What do you mean? I can actually deer proof my garden..you know the garden that has nice vegetable plants and flowers in it that Bambi and all of his kin like to munch on… simply by planting more plants??
Deer photo by flickr user: Noel Zia Lee
Yes, you can…really. But the key is in knowing exactly what types of plants deer do no like and will not eat.
These varieties will keep the deer away from the “good stuff” and will (we hope) have them looking for other ground to munch from.
The key is making sure that you plant a lush border around your vegetable garden starting with the tallest plants and then tapering them down to the low growing specimens that deter deer. In other words …you want to build a living fence… A living deer deterrent. Sure Bambi and his kin are cute, but when you work hard on tilling the ground and planting a garden, having Bambi dine on what is intended to be your dinner just isn’t very fun at all.
Delphinium by flickr user: MShades
Below is a list of flowers and plants that deer do not find very appetizing.
You’ll find varieties like nasturtiums which have a peppery taste, mints, and a few herbs like thyme,oregano, and lemon balm that deer do not find appealing.
Achillea
Ageratum
American Mountain Mint
Anise Hyssop
Aralia
Astilbe
Aster
Baby’s Breath
Bachelor Buttons
Barberry
Bishop’s Weed
Daffodils by flickr user: Mason2008
Blanketflower
Bleeding Hearts
Bluebeard
Blue Flax
Blue Star
Boxwood
Bugleweed
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Flower
Butterfly Weed
Candytuft
Calamint
Catnip
Columbine
Butterfly Bush by flickr user: tophera
Coneflower
Coreopsis
Crocus
Daffodils
Dahlia
Daphne
Delphinium
Forget Me Not
Foxglove
Geranium — Hardy, Scented Geranium; Cranesbill
Gloriosa Daisy
Grape Hyacinth
Hellebore
Hyssop
Lady’s Mantle
Lamb’s Ear
Larkspur
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lupine by flickr user:mwri
Ligustrum — Privet
Lobelia
Lupine
Mariposa lily
Mint
Monarda — Bee Balm
Monkshood
Moss Pink
Mullein
Narcissus
Nasturtium
Northern Bayberry
Ornamental Chives
Ornamental Grass
Oregano
Peony
Periwinkle
Pincushion flower
Pincushion flower by flickr user: uzvards
Poppy
Russian Sage
Siberian Iris
Snapdragon
Spruce
St. John’s Wort
Sumac
Sweet William
Tansy
Thyme
Wormwood
Yarrow
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So, just because Bambi likes to take his evening walks across your property it does not mean that you cannot have a beautiful garden area with gorgeous flowers and vegetables. Give it a try..plant a living fence.
~Happy Gardening!~

1 comment:

  1. Gardening with deer isn't easy. They seem to eat pretty much anything. I've gone to taller fencing.

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