Oh, Deer! How to Keep Deer Away From Your Hostas
The Joys & Tribulations Of Wildlife
Although we love seeing wildlife in and around the property, there are certain animals that we do not want around because of their destructive nature. Deer can be quite destructive to our ornamental gardens and especially our hostas.
Dogs To The Rescue
We have never had an issue with deer on our property here at New Hampshire Hostas, which is quite amazing to some as we are surrounded by woods. We have always had dogs that mark their territory around the property and we are continually active on the property. Nonetheless, deer are a major problem for gardeners.
Organic Deterrents That Won't Harm Wildlife
Here are a few deterrents that can help keep the deer away from your favorite plants. All of these are organic and do not harm wildlife in any way.
Milorganite: Milorganite is an organic nitrogen fertilizer derived from heat-dried microbes that have digested the organic material in wastewater. The odor from milorganite is effective at keeping deer away from your gardens. When applied in early spring while the hostas are actively growing, it is thought that the plants will absorb enough of the fertilizer that the leaves will have a unpleasant taste.
Other scents that help deter the deer are:
- Moth Balls
- Human Hair
- Dryer Sheets
- Rags soaked with strong cologne's, perfumes or kerosene
- Strong Smelling Soap (Irish Spring)
- Urine of Predators (Human, Dog, Coyote, Wolf)
Disguise Those Tasty Leaves
Another effective way to deter the deer is by putting harsh tastes on the leaves of the plants you want to protect.
- Deer Repellants: There are commercial Deer Repellent products available that are foul smelling and tasting. Follow the directions for proper application.
- Cayenne Pepper: Many customers make their own deterrent by mixing cayenne pepper with water and dish detergent. The mixture can be applied to the leaves and anything that takes a bite will not want another bite.
- Use anti-desiccants for longer lasting protection. Anti-desiccants like Wilt-Pruf are normally used for winter protection on evergreen shrubs. These products dry to a clear flexible film that locks in moisture. When mixed with deer and rabbit repellents, this film will help to keep the repellent on the leaves longer without harming the leaves. This should also help the hostas retain moisture during the hot dry periods of summer.
NEW For 2025 - Repellex® Systemic Granular
Repellex® Systemic granular is a revolutionary new product that delivers a hot pepper concentrate through plant roots at the molecular level, making the plants inedible to animals. Because the active compound is protected inside the plant cells, it doesn’t wash off in the rain or degrade in sunlight. One treatment typically lasts the entire growing season. Efficacy is greatly improved because the compound maintains its potency and is evenly distributed throughout the plant. The natural pepper extract is very safe and very effective.
Variety Is The Un-Spice Of Life
Most of these deterrents have a limited life span and will need to be reapplied. Also, we recommend using more than one and switching them around so that the deer do not get comfortable with any of them.
Fences Make Good Neighbors
Another way to keep the deer off your property is with deer fencing. This is typically an 8 foot high plastic mesh fabric that is applied around the area you want to keep the deer out. We have heard good results from this product but is not practical for most homeowners.
Looking for more ways to keep deer away from your hostas? Read our blog post Hosta Pest Control: Deer Deterrent Strategy 102