Deer eating your garden? Try this simple trick!

Published 7 days ago • 1 min read

If deer have discovered your garden, a single night can undo weeks of work.

An adult deer can eat more than a dozen pounds of plant material a day. Add a few hungry friends, and your garden soon becomes an all-the-deer-can-eat buffet.

Dad’s simple trick for keeping deer out

After sprays, dog hair, and other deterrents failed, my dad tried something almost invisible: 15–30 pound test fishing line strung between 48-inch stakes around the plants he wanted to protect.

The line sits about 3 feet above the ground and a few feet outside the garden bed. Deer do not smell it or see it well at close range. When they unexpectedly brush against the line, they tend to back away. A second line at about 2 feet can help with younger, shorter deer.

Dad's "fishing line trick" is inexpensive, unobtrusive, and the most effective low-cost method we have used. No deer solution fits every property, so our complete deer deterrent guide also covers 6 other approaches for different spaces, budgets, and levels of deer pressure.

See Dad’s trick + 6 more deer deterrents

Deer-resistant edible, ornamental, and native plants

Choose plants deer are less likely to eat

If you are planting or reworking a bed, start with plants deer typically avoid. Our guide includes edible, ornamental, and native options—with an important caveat: “deer-resistant” does not mean “deer-proof.” When deer are hungry enough or overpopulated, they'll eat virtually anything.

Browse the deer-resistant plant guide →

Here’s to keeping your garden off the deer buffet,

Aaron & Susan

Recommended setup

Build the nearly invisible barrier

The setup uses 48-inch plant stakes and 15–30 pound test fishing line placed a few feet outside the beds or plants you want to protect.

See the 48-inch plant stakes → See the fishing line →

Recommended repellent

Prefer a spray around ornamental beds?

Our neighbor had strong results with Bobbex after deer repeatedly damaged his roses. Follow the product label, and do not spray deer repellents directly on edible plants.

See Bobbex deer repellent →

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Tyrant Farms may earn from qualifying purchases made through the product links above, at no additional cost to you.

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