How to Make Deer Repellent

Overview

Deer may be graceful creatures, but when they make their way into your garden and eat your hard-earned harvest, they need to be dealt with and quickly. Luckily, deer can be repelled from a garden in a humane way. According to the Georgia Department of Resources, deer are naturally repelled by rotten meat, human hair, raw eggs and ammonia. Animals in Print, an online newsletter dedicated to the humane treatment of animals, lists several herbs and vegetables that make deer turn away. Persistence is the key. Always keep a steady repellent to encourage deer to look elsewhere for food.

Liquid Repellent

Step 1

Mix 4 raw eggs, 1 gallon of water, 1 tbsp. of cayenne and 1 tbsp. of garlic powder together in a bowl as thoroughly as possible.

Step 2

Strain the mixture through fine mesh, and put it in spray bottles.

Step 3

Test the mixture on a tender indoor plant before applying outdoors. In some cases, the mixture may be fatal to certain sensitive plants. If the plant browns or dies within the next day, lower the amount of garlic and cayenne, and remix the repellent.

Step 4

Apply along the edge of the garden, and give your plants a light spritzing. Only dampen them, never soak them in the mixture.

Solid Repellent

Step 1

Place old or rotten meat in cheesecloth or pantyhose and tie the bag to fence posts near the garden, or hang the bags from tree limbs that overhang the garden.

Step 2

Obtain human hair from a local salon, and place 2 to 3 handfuls in thin socks. Hang the socks around areas of the garden where deer visit. Keep them at the deer's height, about 2 to 3 feet, and space them 3 feet apart.

Step 3

Tie solid, scented soap bars to strings, and hang them around the perimeter of the garden.

Step 4

Fill thin socks with mothballs, and hang them around the garden or spread them across the ground in the garden.

Step 5

Soak old rags with ammonia, and place them in used milk jugs. Store the jugs around the edge of the garden to create a barrier.