Homemade Deer Repellent That Serves Its Purpose
There are so many methods of keeping deer from the garden and landscape that employing them all can become a full time job. Many of these deterrents, such as fences, can cost thousands of dollars, making them infeasible options for most homeowners. Homemade deer repellent is a much more cost effective way to keep deer from snacking on the greenery and vegetables in the yard.
Repellents come in many varieties, but most of them contain harsh chemicals. The labels on these claim to be safe for animals, but one never knows if these statements are true. A safer alternative is the organic treatment sold in many garden centers, but these are usually rather expensive. The cheapest and safest ways to deter deer are found at home using common ingredients.
Hanging cloves of garlic, strands of human hair, or soap from trees in back yard will prevent deer from approaching the area. These items are forms of area repellents, which deter deer from entering the location in which they are displayed, as their name implies. Area repellents have an effectiveness period of about a month after which time they will need to be replaced.
Contact repellents are applied directly to the foliage in the landscaped area. Common ingredients for contact repellents include rotten eggs, hot sauce, hot peppers, and garlic. Deer will take a nibble and get a nasty taste in their mouths or possibly a sick feeling in their stomachs. Either way, the concoction is not harmful to the animals but they will get the message and will not graze in the area again. Contact repellents are usually more effective than area repellents, but they wear off quickly, especially in rainy conditions, so they will need to be reapplied every two to three weeks.
Recipes for area and contact repellents may be found in library books or online. A simple recipe involves mixing three tablespoons of hot sauce, three tablespoons of minced garlic or garlic juice, and three uncooked eggs. Put these ingredients in a blender, adding enough water before processing to permit the items to be mixed. Add the mixture to one gallon of water, then pour into a spray bottle and treat the leaves and flowers in the yard.
If garlic and hot sauce are not readily available, mix one egg with a quarter cup water and spray this on plants. The benefit of recipes that use eggs is the egg will dry on the leaves and allow the spray to handle light periods of rain. If a large area of landscape must be treated, blend two eggs, two tablespoons liquid detergent, two tablespoons of cooking oil, and two gallons of water. Use a spray bottle to apply the mixture to the area.
Homemade deer repellent is an easy way to prevent deer from making the garden and landscaping their next meal. In yards that are especially susceptible to visits from deer, contact repellent mixtures may be combined with area repellents like human hair. Try a few combinations in order to find the treatments that are most effective.
Repellents come in many varieties, but most of them contain harsh chemicals. The labels on these claim to be safe for animals, but one never knows if these statements are true. A safer alternative is the organic treatment sold in many garden centers, but these are usually rather expensive. The cheapest and safest ways to deter deer are found at home using common ingredients.
Hanging cloves of garlic, strands of human hair, or soap from trees in back yard will prevent deer from approaching the area. These items are forms of area repellents, which deter deer from entering the location in which they are displayed, as their name implies. Area repellents have an effectiveness period of about a month after which time they will need to be replaced.
Contact repellents are applied directly to the foliage in the landscaped area. Common ingredients for contact repellents include rotten eggs, hot sauce, hot peppers, and garlic. Deer will take a nibble and get a nasty taste in their mouths or possibly a sick feeling in their stomachs. Either way, the concoction is not harmful to the animals but they will get the message and will not graze in the area again. Contact repellents are usually more effective than area repellents, but they wear off quickly, especially in rainy conditions, so they will need to be reapplied every two to three weeks.
Recipes for area and contact repellents may be found in library books or online. A simple recipe involves mixing three tablespoons of hot sauce, three tablespoons of minced garlic or garlic juice, and three uncooked eggs. Put these ingredients in a blender, adding enough water before processing to permit the items to be mixed. Add the mixture to one gallon of water, then pour into a spray bottle and treat the leaves and flowers in the yard.
If garlic and hot sauce are not readily available, mix one egg with a quarter cup water and spray this on plants. The benefit of recipes that use eggs is the egg will dry on the leaves and allow the spray to handle light periods of rain. If a large area of landscape must be treated, blend two eggs, two tablespoons liquid detergent, two tablespoons of cooking oil, and two gallons of water. Use a spray bottle to apply the mixture to the area.
Homemade deer repellent is an easy way to prevent deer from making the garden and landscaping their next meal. In yards that are especially susceptible to visits from deer, contact repellent mixtures may be combined with area repellents like human hair. Try a few combinations in order to find the treatments that are most effective.
