OUTDOORS Deterring deer from devouring plants

Some methods can actually attract other unwanted animals, such as coyotes.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
AKRON -- Can humans and deer live in harmony? It depends on the humans -- and the deer. Some folks love watching the animals gather at dusk in their back yards. In fact, they gleefully toss bushels of apples or corn in their yards to lure the graceful creatures. There's not much argument: They are beautiful. As the deer become more domesticated, though, humans can go wild.
Some people see deer as little more than overgrown rodents determined to destroy everything from their vegetable gardens to prize roses. The fact is, there's really nothing absolutely foolproof that will keep the deer out of your yard, except maybe a very tall fence -- or a very wide moat.
Favorite plants
Deer find some plants simply irresistible -- kind of the way we view a scrumptious treat from Harry London Candies.
There's a long list of trees, shrubs and garden plants that deer love.
A good book, the Internet or your favorite garden specialist can help you determine which ones to avoid planting. Some deer delicacies, for example, are rhododendron, hosta and azaleas.
For those who live where deer are a problem, it's wise to focus on plants that deer find unpalatable.
Even then, it's not always a sure thing that the graceful, brown-eyed animals won't chow down on your favorite perennial.
"If food is not available in the woods or other places they naturally would find food, they may invade the homeowner," said John Kline, co-owner of the Canton Road Garden Center in Springfield Township.
In Rhonda Massingham Hart's detailed and humorous book "Deer Proofing Your Yard & amp; Garden" (Storey Books, $12.95), she notes that "deer are adaptable, and no matter how effective a deterrent may be when you first employ it, chances are that unless it jumps up and comes after them, the deer will invariably get wise to the fact that it can't eat them."
Do-it-yourself
Still, in addition to dogs, fences -- both tall and electric -- and commercial repellents, here are a few do-it-yourself tricks Hart suggests giving a try:
UHuman hair and dog fur: Stuff handfuls into old nylons and place them in the garden or hang them from the shrubs. They should be placed no farther apart than three feet. Replace often.
UGarlic and rotten eggs: 2 eggs, 2 cups of water, 1 to 4 cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce. At high speed in a blender or with a hand mixer, puree garlic in water. Add other ingredients and process mixture thoroughly. Allow it to ferment, covered, for several days prior to pouring the stinky mixture over foliage.
UGarlic socks: Stuff old socks or stockings with crushed or bruised cloves of garlic and hang in shrubs or trees.
UFabric softener strips: Tie strips, three feet apart, in or near susceptible plants. The stronger the fragrance, the better. Replace after each rain.
USoap: Drill a hole through a heavily scented bar of soap, such as Irish Spring, tie with a string and hang it in a tree or in the shrubs. If it's strong enough, consider leaving the wrappers on to prevent the soap from washing away. This should repel the deer enough to keep them about three feet away.
UBlood meal: For shrubs or trees, make small pouches of old nylons or cloth and fill them with blood meal. Create a barrier around your yard by hanging the pouches around the perimeter, or simply place them in and around plants. Be warned: Blood products may attract predators such as coyotes into the yard.
UBone tar oil: Tear absorbent cloth into 1- or 2-foot strips. Wearing rubber gloves, pour the oil into an old container, then saturate the cloth. This smells absolutely terrible, so make certain you do this away from the house. Tie socked material to stakes near plants.
UPredator urine or feces: Ask a local zoo or the guy down the street who has exotic animals to give you fresh droppings from cougars, coyotes, bobcats, bears, wolves, lions, tigers, hyenas or polar bears. The aromatic properties break down quickly and lose their potency quickly, so replenish often.
UMechanical gizmos: Anything that suddenly moves will startle deer. Be ingenious. Give it some erratically moving parts. Remember, if the deer learn that the thing can't catch them, they won't run away from it.
Online
Countless Web sites provide information about controlling deer on your property. To get you started, check out www.deerbusters.com and www.mydeergarden.com.