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Deer & rabbit deterrants!! Any ideas?

*Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
edited February 2019 in Problem solving
I have a friend who’s got awful problems with deer and rabbits eating just about everything! It started Last summer during the heatwave has eased off during the winter and as there’s less to eat but now things are starting to grow they’re back!
its a big garden so putting fencing all around would be so expensive it’s not an option. 

Im just wondering if anyone has used anything to deter them? I have read one post on here about putting human hair around the plants and stringing up old cds. But any other advice would be welcome! Individual plants could have wire netting or chicken wire put on them but it will end up as a garden full of chicken wire as they seem to be eating just about everything! Including spurge!!

Posts

  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    I'm afraid I can't help as my problems are squirrels and foxes, not rabbit and deer. But I had the wrong glasses on and read the subject line as 'Deer & rabbit deodorants', which was both confusing and intriguing.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Pet wolf?  :D
    Seriously, is there any possibility of your friend getting a dog?

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    For deer, you need a high fence over which they cannot leap.   For rabbits, you need the fence buried to a depth below which they will not burrow.

    By now, both deer and rabbits have got used to the local restaurant so the only sure thing to do is keep them out and block any existing burrows or they will come back and nibble all the juicy goodies.   The RHS website has lists of plants supposed to be less or unattractive to deer and rabbits but the is probably quite restrictive.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think @chicky will confirm that proper fencing is the only way to keep deer out ... rather than fencing the whole garden I think her solution has been to fence the parts of the garden where the deers’ favourite plants are. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Failing fencing, the RHS lists these as deer proof
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=185 and offers this info on rabbits - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=219

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    edited February 2019
    Dove’s right - we have fenced off an area of the garden (known as “Mum’s flower cage”) - 8 ft tall fencing/trellis with a gate.  Its ended up being quite a feature of the garden.

    Outside the cage there are quite a few things they don’t eat here ..... 

    Plants our deer don't eat:


    Spring bulbs


    Snowdrops

    Daffodils

    Hellebores

    Primroses

    Scilla

    Chinodoxa

    Alliums


    Summer Annuals


    Petunias

    Isotoma

    Salvia

    Diascia

    Lobelia (they sometimes have a nibble, but don't come back for more)

    Rudbeckias (the half hardy ones with fuzzy leaves ...they do eat the perennials like Goldstrum)

    Zinnias


    Perennials


    Peonies

    Oriental poppies

    Lavender

    Aquilegias 

    Echinops

    Euphorbia

    Lupins

    Centaurea montana

    Agapanthus

    Nerines

    Lithodora

    Aubretia

    Sempervirums

    Sage

    Oregano

    Rosemary

    Cyclamen (the hardy ones, not the fancy ones sold as winter bedding)

    Ferns

    Heathers

    Grasses



    Shrubs


    Daphne

    Most viburnums

    Hydrangea macrophyllia ( not the paniculata ones)

    Box

    Pieris

    Buddleja

    Rhodedendrons and deciduous azaleas (not evergreen azaleas)

    Magnolia stellata

    Wisteria

    Cotoneaster

    Pyracantha


  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    That's a good list Chicky.

     I too heard about the human hair thing - you could always beg a bagful from your hairdressers and try it first - much cheaper.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Our rabbits moved out when we adopted two active young moggies. Terriers would have the same effect but they have to have access to the garden when the rabbits are about. I think deer are another order of difficulty and would probably start saving. I'd have a notional few yards of fencing for my birthdays and Christmases and any other gifting opportunity until I'd fenced them out.
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
    Thanks for the replies I’ll pass on all the tips!
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