Deer alarm or repellent

[Red Horse]

Having a huge problem with deer getting into gardens. I have 3' green mesh fencing but they just step over it or reach over it-tomato plants topped off!
Anyone have a recommendation for a battery powered alarm? Lights alone work or do you need noise?

appreciate any recommendations

 

[Fuddy1952]

Try electric fence. Insulators on existing posts or you can get the plastic ones. Two strands should keep anything out.

 

[RNeumann]

The only non fence “thing” I’ve seen work is a sprinkler that sprays with movement. I’ve also seen some success with longer t-posts with fishing line every foot or so vertically.
Piss, eggs and every other magic brew I’ve seen, tried or seen tried may work for a few nights. But as soon as things get ripe the urge overcomes any scent or taste deterrent.
Obviously anything short of a proper fence is a bandaid........but you knew that ;^)

 

[rekees4300]

I've had success with this spray but it is expensive.

View attachment 564764

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Milorganite. You can get it at lowes and other garden centers. It is a fertilizer. I sprinkle a healthy amount n the perimeter of my orchard and it does a good job of deterring the deer. The first year, we had a 3 foot fence with Milorganite and out trees survived. Electric fence is best but. Have 7 foot electric fence and they still come. I will be spreading Milorganite this weekend.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Wife's uncle put strips of aluminum foil with peanut butter on them to "light up the deer antlers" on his electric fence wire.

Milorganite. You can get it at lowes and other garden centers. It is a fertilizer. I sprinkle a healthy amount n the perimeter of my orchard and it does a good job of deterring the deer. The first year, we had a 3 foot fence with Milorganite and out trees survived. Electric fence is best but. Have 7 foot electric fence and they still come. I will be spreading Milorganite this weekend.

 

[am122]

Set Harbor Freight driveway alarms in the garden this year and I planted less corn and I got more out of it.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Having a huge problem with deer getting into gardens. I have 3' green mesh fencing but they just step over it or reach over it-tomato plants topped off!
Anyone have a recommendation for a battery powered alarm? Lights alone work or do you need noise?

appreciate any recommendations

What are the approximate dimensions of your garden?

 

[jfh28]

they're a real pain as they are incredibly smart and can easily jump a 7' high barrier......this is what I have done......ran a 6' high mesh netting around then got some rolls of surveyors tape.......it's cheap about $5 a roll at HD.......first I run a strand of it on the netting at 42" so at the deers eye level....then I run another strand on the netting at about 7' high.......then about 6' in front of the netting I run a strand at around 4' to 5' high.......and another strand at 4' to 5' high about 6' behind the fence.......so there are three visual barriers confronting the deer......the theory being that deer won't jump if they can't see a clear landing spot.......it's worked very well since I put it up a few months ago........have not had any deer inside the area........prior to that the best deterrent I had was my female wolfhound.......she's as big as the deer plus barks and can run as fast so they took off as soon as they saw her......but she's not out 24/7 and the deer figured that out.....I've tried the fishing line and that worked for a week or so until the deer figured out that they can just barrel right thru it......Jack

 

[teejk]

I doubt alarms will be effective for more than a few days. They get used to it pretty quickly. Reminds me of a former employer that had a pond on their corporate headquarters that attracted geese. They tried everything including alarms, inflated alligators, removing eggs (they only lay more), etc. Finally hired an outfit that brought in water dogs that would cause the geese to leave. They went to a similar corporate pond a few miles away. The dog outfit had that account too so it amounted to running the geese between the two ponds (pretty tough meat I would think). We've had luck with the sprays but otherwise you might be looking at taller fencing.