Keeping Bambi out of backyard

As greater numbers of neighborhood developments are built, more and more wooded areas are being torn down to make room. This is leading to a once unique but now relatively standard problem — what to do with all the wildlife that is suddenly homeless? In particular, homeowners are seeing an abundance of deer showing up on their doorsteps looking for food.

While the prospect of a deer eating berries outside your kitchen window can sound quite appealing, it can also be quite a nuisance, especially for lawn and garden aficionados. Deer can trample and eat a season’s worth of work in a matter of minutes. Thankfully, protecting your lawn and garden from such a fate can be done in a number of ways.

•Sprays. A host of deer repellent sprays exist. Some work better than others. Sprays are often an expensive option because they need to be applied regularly (and re-applied after each heavy rain) to maintain effectiveness. Most can be applied to trees, shrubs, bushes and even flower beds. Gardeners beware, however, as applying such sprays to vegetables or fruit trees can ruin the crop.

•Fencing. As the old saying goes, “fences make great neighbors.” They can also make for great repellents, depending on the type of fencing you choose. A standard chain link fence won’t do much, as deer are easily capable of jumping those fences and getting into your yard anyway. A good fence for repelling deer must be several feet high. Remember, to be effective, the fencing needs to be put up around the entire perimeter of your property.

•Human hair. Though it may sound a little strange, some homeowners swear it works. Deer see humans as a natural predator, which is why they often run away the moment they see a human. The scent of human hair can be enough to keep deer away from a garden or flower bed.

•Fox urine. Along the same lines as the human-hair method, fox urine can be sprayed around a garden or flower bed to deter deer, who also see foxes as a natural predator. Fox urine can be bought in most lawn and garden stores. However, like repellent sprays, fox urine must be applied on a regular basis and after heavy rains.

•Baby powder. For whatever reason, deer don’t seem to like baby powder. This can be an odd approach to take, but anyone lost for what to do should give it a shot.

Simply sprinkle the leaves of plants with baby powder on a regular basis and sit back and see if it works.