Gardening is a labor of love, but it can be disheartening to find your plants ruined by deer. Fortunately, there are effective strategies and deterrents that can help protect your roses from these unwelcome visitors. While it’s impossible to guarantee that deer will never enter your garden, these solutions significantly increase the likelihood of successfully repelling them.
Pure Protect Deer Repellent
Pure Protect by Heirloom is a custom formula designed to be applied directly to your plants to deter deer from munching on them. This product is effective not only for roses but also for other plants commonly favored by deer. The active ingredient is concentrated peppermint oil, offering an all-natural, pet-safe treatment that works effectively to keep deer at bay.
For larger gardens, we recommend purchasing the 1 Quart size (which makes 5 gallons of solution), while gardeners with smaller spaces may opt for the 6.4 oz size, which makes 1 gallon of solution. In addition to repelling deer, Pure Protect also helps deter pests like powdery mildew, spider mites, azalea lace bugs, aphids, spiders, ants, and more.
To use, simply mix the concentrated solution with water and apply it to your roses and other plants. With Pure Protect, you can be confident that your garden will be protected, letting your beautiful blooms thrive.
Our Treatment Recommendations
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Start spraying in the spring: As soon as the first green shoots appear, begin treatment with Pure Protect to make your plants less attractive to deer. Spray once a week, but if deer activity increases, you can apply more frequently without harming your roses or other plants.
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Stop spraying in September: Depending on your hardiness zone and bloom schedule, you can stop treatment by the end of September. For warmer regions like Texas and California, you may need to continue treatment for a longer period.
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Repeat next spring: When the new growth appears in spring, start the treatment cycle again to maintain protection.
Deer-Resistant Plants
An alternative to using repellents is to plant naturally deer-resistant varieties. While no plant is completely deer-proof, the following varieties tend to be less appealing to deer:
- American Holly
- Bee Balm (Monarda)
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)
- Blue Spruce
- Blue Star
- Catmint
- Columbine (Aquilegia)
- Coneflower (Echinacea)
- False Indigo
- Hardy Geranium
- Lilac
- Russian Sage
- Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)
- Spirea
- And many more...
Organic Deer Repellent Recipe
If you'd like to try a homemade alternative, here's a simple recipe for a DIY deer repellent:
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
- 1/3 cup liquid dish soap
Mix these ingredients in a blender, then pour the mixture into a gallon tank sprayer and fill with water. Apply once a week to your plants. For added deterrence, you can add a cube of beef bullion (since deer dislike meat), though this step is usually unnecessary.
This mixture is safe for your roses and other plants, but be sure to wear gloves and goggles when applying it for your safety.