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STEP 16 - DEER

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Once you have yummy fruits and vegetables planted for your enjoyment, wildlife seems to think it is up for grabs! Many Essential Oils that we talked about to deter bugs will also deter deer.

Some additional Essential Oils include:

  • Rosemary 
  • Lavender 
  • Oregano 
  • Thyme 

While humans find the aroma of Lavender to be pleasant, with calming and soothing properties, deer do not care for it! You can mix up a Lavender and Rosemary Spray with equal parts of each Essential Oil, a carrier oil (like Fractionated Coconut Oil), and water. Spray foliage, reapply often, and always reapply after rain.

OR use this recipe from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife!

ALL-IN-ONE HOMEMADE DEER REPELLENT RECIPE

Mix the following in a 1-gallon tank sprayer:

  • 2 beaten and strained eggs – strain them to remove the white strings surrounding the yolk, which otherwise will plug up your sprayer. 
  • 1 c. milk, yogurt, buttermilk, or sour milk 
  • 2 tsp. Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper 
  • 20 drops CLOVE, CINNAMON BARK, or EUCALYPTUS Essential Oil 
  • 1 tsp. cooking oil or dormant oil 
  • 1 tsp. liquid dish soap 

Top off the tank with water and pump it up. Shake the sprayer occasionally and mist onto dry foliage. One application will last for 2 to 4 weeks in dry weather.

QUESTION – WHICH OF THE ABOVE OPTIONS WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO DETER DEER FROM YOUR GARDEN?