7 Effective Ways of Keeping Roe‑Deer Away from Your Garden
Roe-deer could cause lots of damage in our gardens. They bite the shrubs and trees and dig in our vegetable patches. Luckily, there are ways to repel the uninvited forest guests from our gardens.
#1 Sound repellents
Roe-deer are very cowardly animals. If you hand some bells, fans or even fix some cans on sticks, the animals will run away hearing the sounds.
#2 Painting with calcium hydroxide
Tree trunks can be painted with calcium hydroxide. This traditional methods works well and discourages roe-deer from biting the bark. Remember that you should never paint the trees higher than 6 feet off the ground. This is the highest the animals can reach.
#3 Electric fence
One of the most effective methods is to build an electric fence. Once an animal touches it, it gets a shock - strong enough to scare it away. There is no chance it will come back again.
#4 Forest mesh
Another alternative is the so-called 'forest mesh', made of zinced wire. It is perfect to fence off orchards and crops. You need to remember, though, that the fence needs to be 7 – feet high. A lower one will not work as roe-deer might easily jump over it.
#5 Scent repellents
There are some scents that roe-deer simply can't stand, including garlic, onion or fresh eggs. You can use a few smells and prepare a mixture to spray onto your plants. Roe-deer are also irritated by lavender, sage, begonias, juniper or boxwood, so why not invite these plants to your garden?
#6 Tree trunk protectors
This is a very simple way of keeping your trees safe. As for the material, it can be straw, corrugated cardboard, wicker mats, plastic tubes or metal mesh.
#7 A dog
We call these animals our best friends for good reasons. Dogs bark and give off a distinct smell, which is enough to scare the roe-deer away.