Scenes in nature can be among the most beautiful images to observe, like a deer grazing peacefully in a lush green field. But nature can quickly lose its serenity when that lush green field happens to be in your backyard. Keeping deer out of your yard is possible, but it takes some ingenuity and persistence on your part.

One method for keeping deer out of your yard is to grow plants that deer don't like. Generally these include thorny plants and ones with fuzzy or leathery leaves (plants that aren't easy to eat or digest). Deer seem to abhor lilac, flowering dogwood, American holly, and forsythia, but love fruit trees, cedar, yew, and lily plants. Keep in mind, however that as food supplies decline, so do the deer's high standards for foods, and they will eat food they don't like to stay alive.

If new planting isn't an option, deer repellents can be effective in keeping them out of your yard. Repellents work best at the first sign of deer in your yard. If your yard has been a long-time deer diner it will be more difficult to get the deer to change their pattern and go elsewhere. You can purchase repellents from your local garden supply store or try making them yourself. Repellents work by scenting the area with a smell deer detest, or coating the plants in your yard with something that tastes bad, encouraging deer to find another location for dinner. Rotten eggs, garlic, and hot pepper all seem to work well and are found in many repellents available for sale. Or try outlining the boundary of your yard with mesh bags filled with Ivory soap, fabric softening dryer sheets, or any other artificial scent to frighten them off.

Another option for keeping the deer away is to startle them with unexpected noises. You can purchase motion-sensing devices that emit a high-frequency blast at the first sign of movement in your yard. The deer however, quickly get used to the noise so you need to constantly change the location of the device to keep it unexpected. A cheaper alternative to this method is to employ the family dog to bark and scare off the deer.

The fourth option is simply to install a fence around your yard to keep deer out. The fence will need to be at least seven feet tall since deer are good jumpers. If they can't jump it they may try to go under or through your fence, so be sure the fence is staked securely and that it touches the ground. If you are facing a serious deer infestation consider installing a second fence several feet outside your main fence. Double fences tend to unnerve the deer and they are reluctant to jump them since they have poor depth perception.

While many opinions exist about how to keep your yard deer-free, few absolute fail-safe solutions exist. Some combination of the above suggestions will be the best solution to your deer invasion.

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