As the temperatures cool and plants begin to die away in anticipation of winter, deer begin their annual search for food to survive the colder months. As their food sources becomes more and more scarce they will begin to eat the landscaping of many residential and commercial properties. Each season homes and businesses suffer hundreds-to-thousands of dollars in damage to their landscaping.
In addition to damaging the landscaping, the deer also bring with them another unwanted pest; the tick. Tick’s love to feed on deer and attracting local deer populations to your property with attractive plant life is an easy way to increase the amount of exposure your property has to ticks. This is why a robust and thoughtful deer repellent program helps to limit the deer on your property and thereby also limit the number of ticks.
White-tailed deer are found throughout the United States. They are herbivores and consume a wide variety of herbaceous and woody plants native to the area. An adult white-tailed deer requires approximately 5-7 lbs of food per day, but energy demands for white-tailed deer vary seasonally. Even further, deer favor particular plants depending on the season. Energy demands are the greatest in the autumn rut and during severe winter weather.
According to the CDC “...the spread of Lyme disease over the past several decades has been linked to changes in land-use patterns, including reforestation in the northeastern United States. Suburban development in these areas has increased the spread of these germs because people, ticks, deer, and tick hosts such as mice and chipmunks are in close contact.”
The best way to limit and prevent deer damage is to make the plants that deer commonly browse unappealing as a food source. Natural products can be applied to and around the plants that work against the sensory receptors of the deer. Most commonly these products have a bitter taste or pungent odor to the deer, but some products that can be used to invoke a fear that a predator is nearby and will cause the deer to avoid the area.
Deer damage to your landscaping can occur year-round. Often once you start seeing the damage, it's already too late. However, an integrated deer repellent plan will protect what's left of your plants for them to regenerate more quickly and prevent future damage.
For a comprehensive list of landscape plants rated by deer resistance click here. If you are interested in learning more about Pure Solutions all-natural deer repellent program please contact us today!