How to make homemade deer repellent (recipe)
Got a problem with deer eating your shrubberies, trees and plants?
It will only get worse as we go into the fall and winter months. Local deer population have lots of options in the summertime but they get hungry in the cold months. This can be made with items you have around the house, or buy them at your local Dollar Store.
1 gallon of water in large pot
1/4 cup of liquid dish soap (or laundry soap)
Dollar Store size containers (approx. 4 or 5 ounces) of:
-Garlic powder
-Cayenne pepper powder (or crushed hot pepper flakes also works)
-Onion powder
Pour all into the water, mixing carefully.
Bring to simmering boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve all ingredients.
Turn off heat and allow to cool. Strain out solids through a metal sieve or paper filter (if needed).
Store in large empty milk container, should be good for the fall and winter season.
To apply to plants, pour into empty spray bottle and spray all green foliage and bark about once per week.
Don't spray on blooms, just green leaves and bark, because this solution may deter bees.
If there's a heavy rainfall, respray as necessary.
Here's a suggestion if the smell is bothersome: add a bottle of Dollar Store size peppermint extract during the boil. The deer are repelled by the peppermint smell - it stings their noses when they come in contact with it.
A gallon of this stuff should last about 6 months, unless you have a really large yard.
This is not a poison and it won't harm humans or pets, it will just deter the varmints.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It would have to be peppermint essential oil (concentrate) rather than extract.
The oil would cling to the leaves but the extract would just evaporate and not be very effective. I've purchased peppermint oil and I know it's very strong but also expensive. A tiny bottle .3 ounce was about $6 or $7.
The peppermint extract that I mentioned earlier is the kind that's used in cooking, like for cookies or candy flavoring. It's way less expensive but the main ingredient is alcohol. It's sometimes available at Dollar Stores, but I've never seen the essential oils there.
