The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

A Montguide titled Deer-Resistant Ornamental Plants for Your Garden is available at the Chouteau County Extension office or can be mailed to you upon request. The document is also available online at: https://bit.ly/3sn0aTH. The Montguide is written by Cheryl Moore-Gough (Previous Extension Horticulture Specialist).

Deer are very destructive to a garden. Deer eat flowers and foliage in summer and browse on tender buds in winter. Deer typically feed at night, with a single adult capable of consuming from five to ten pounds of garden plants in one evening. Utilizing deer resistant plants in the landscape is a good first line of defense. However, no plant is completely deer proof. A hungry deer will consume almost any plant.

Deer deterrents make the area smell or the plant taste bad. They typically come in granules or sprays, and often must be reapplied after rainfall. Unfortunately, people may also find some odors distasteful. Bad-smelling deterrents include heavily perfumed soap, predator urine, and dried blood or blood meal. The fungicide Thiram smells bad and tastes bad to deer. Plant Skydd is an effective blood meal product, but it is easy to wash off and needs to be reapplied after rainfall.

A fence around the garden is a more permanent solution, but it must be at least eight feet high. Deer fences should slant outward from the protected area at a 45-degree angle. You may want to top it with another foot or two of electric fence.

If a full fence is not practical, smaller barriers may be constructed. Sink stakes and attach netting to surround individual plants. Small plants may be protected with tomato cages or milk crates. Deer are nosy creatures so be sure the holes in the barriers are small enough that noses can’t reach through.

Most of Montana is deer country. You will fight a battle you cannot win if you insist

on planting species deer love to eat. Some plants simply delight the palate of a night-feeding deer like tulips, daylilies, hostas, fruit trees and arborvitae. There are many ornamental plants that will grow in Montana that fall into the non-preferred category. If you feel limited in your planting scheme, then place plants deer love to eat close to the house and those they don’t prefer farther out in the yard where the animals are more apt to wander. Unfortunately, deer will probably come in close no matter what you do. The complete list of non-preferred plants is on page three of the Montguide.

Montana State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.