On Gardening/Resist Deer Feeding

3-10-97

University Park, Pa.-- In an issue of the Pennsylvania nursery trade journal, "From The Ground Up", Lindsay Bond Totten, horticulturist and garden designer from Cheswick, reported on her successes with herbaceous perennial plants that survive deer populated areas of Allegheny County.

As housing development in Pennsylvania continues to reduce the natural range of deer, gardeners need to search for plants that are not a food source for deer. The use of herbaceous perennials in a landscape frequented by deer makes sense. Herbaceous perennials are often pruned to the ground each season to enhance appearance. As long as perennials are not dug up or damaged in some other fashion, limited winter deer browsing may not reduce their aesthetic value in the spring and summer landscape.

In addition to the feeding damage caused by deer herds, gardeners also have to contend with damage from their hooves as they move. In cold weather it is not uncommon for deer to dig into the soil for buried plant parts. This digging may cause more damage then the browsing of the stems and leaves.

Lindsay made an interesting point that during the spring deer are often attracted to freshly-turned soil in the garden. To prevent or reduce possible damage to new plants, smooth the soil and apply a 3 to 4 inch layer of mulch over the entire area. The use of commercial deer repellents or plastic netting over freshly-dug areas or newly planted perennials also seems to discourage deer exploration.

Gardening success with herbaceous perennials can be obtained in two ways: surround your favorites with plants the deer hate; or plant perennials that are known to be fairly resistant to deer feeding. At this point it is important to realize that no plant is completely resistant to feeding if other food sources are limited or lacking. A deer-resistant garden can be every bit as colorful and full as one that is not resistant.

The following perennials have been found to do well in the sun and survive in heavily deer populated gardens.

-- Few bulbs are safe, but all varieties of ornamental onion (Allium), autumn crocus (Colchicum), crown imperial, ranunculus, and daffodil can be planted.

--Deer dislike hairy-leafed perennials, including Salvia argentea and Stachys byzantina - Lamb's Ears.

-- Herbs are generally ignored. Some varieties are decorative enough to be included in perennial gardens: lavender, Artemisia, santolina (both green and gray), Salvia officianalis, tansy, lovage, borage, and thyme. Some of the preferred perennials like the daylily, hosta, woodland phlox, and lily, for example, could be protected in the center of an herb garden.

--Tender herbs like golden and tricolor sage, pineapple sage, scented geranium and rosemary are also good choices for herbs that survive deer feeding in the garden. However, these will not survive the freezing winter and will have to be replanted each spring.

-- The list of shade tolerant perennials will include windflower (Anemone), Astilbe, snakeroot (Cimicifuga), bleeding heart (Dicentra), foxglove (Digitalis), and all types of ferns.

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**Dr. Nuss is a horticulturist at Penn State. He coordinates all extension horticulture programs. He has bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in ornamental horticulture and has been on the Penn State faculty since 1966.