Deer Proof Landscaping

One of the great challenges of gardening here in Central Texas can be keeping the deer from turning a landscape into their evening salads. Deer are amazingly adaptable creatures, and no one yet has come up with a 100% accurate plant list for Texas. Deer in Lago Vista will eat something completely different in Georgetown, or Dripping Springs. There are steps one can take to help reduce the chances they will munch on your flower, but no single step is “the” answer.

First RULE; don’t feed them. If deer become comfortable eating in your yard and food becomes scarce, your landscape is still in their comfort zone. If your neighbor feeds the deer or you wish to try something else as a next step, you can use a deer repellent. These repellents mimic the strong fragrance or the foul-tasting sap often found in plants that deer don’t like. We strongly recommend repellents for people who can’t live without plants that deer love, i.e. roses. We also recommend using repellents with ALL NEW PLANTINGS.

Perhaps the best step a Central Texas gardener can take to keep deer damage to a minimum is to use deer-resistant plants in their landscape. As stated earlier, deer are adaptable and will eat plants on this list at times, especially with high population pressures, drought, and reduced habitat. We have developed a list below that over the years best fits the term “deer resistant”: however, DEER DO NOT READ. Use the list and then, adapt!

Recommended Actions:
Fencing -permanent or temporary netting.
Discontinue feeding!
Use of Repellents
Use of motion-activated sprinklers

*Denotes shady landscapes
#Denotes shade or sun landscapes