Unless you are going to plant only Marigolds, Daffodils, Poppies and Peonies (not such a bad idea), you may want to spray your flowers with something to ward off deer and rabbits.
Even if you have a fence and a gate, deer often seem to get through. They have been known to crawl under or over a gate.
We have found Deer Out to be a good commercial repellant. It may be good for deer and pets, but it repels just about anyone who gets some on them. It doesn’t wash off plants or humans very well. And, it smells so bad it keeps people away from the flowers as well.
We believe you can do even better with Stu’s Deer Repellant (courtesy of the Norwalk River Watershed Association newsletter)
It is not only good for deer, it is also good for repelling rabbits and rambunctious dogs, like our Jack Russells, who seem to love digging in our garden.
Ingredients
- 1½ gallons of water
- 2/3 to 3/4 cup Tabasco or hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon corn oil
- 2 tablespoons Dawn dish detergent
- 1 heaping Tablespoon dry mustard
Instructions
Mix ingredients together then spray the tops, underside and stems of plants once a month. More if it rains heavily. If deer nibble at certain plants, spray them again.
It might be a good idea to wear gloves and protective glasses when spraying with any deer repellant.
