Use of homeade solutions to keep away critters and their effects on pollinators - Ask Extension
I live in the Cleveland area and have had many of my native plants eaten by deer and rabbits. Commercial products like Liquid Fence have lost their e...
Knowledgebase
Use of homeade solutions to keep away critters and their effects on pollinators #843708
Asked August 01, 2023, 3:46 PM EDT
I live in the Cleveland area and have had many of my native plants eaten by deer and rabbits. Commercial products like Liquid Fence have lost their effectiveness in my gardens. I have read that homemade solutions of ground red pepper, garlic, oil and mild dish soap can deter wildlife from eating plants. Would using these harm or deter bees and other pollinators from visiting my plants? I don't want to use them if that is the case. Online entries I researched provided different answers.
Thanks very much.
Cuyahoga County Ohio
Expert Response
Thank you for your question to Ask a Master Gardener Volunteer with eXtension.
First off, I am sorry to hear that some of the effectiveness of commercial products you use to deter deer have declined. (As I know first hand what damage they can do!)
Make sure you are following label directions (the label is the law) if you are mixing concentrate solution to reap the most benefits of these applications.
You can also try alternating commercial applications for better effectiveness.
Please see the following sites for more information on deterring deer from your garden:
In regards to your question about homemade solutions to deter deer, I would advise caution. Depending on what mixture you use, you may have an adverse impact on pollinators, especially birds and bees. See the following:
Good luck to you in the deer deterrent fight and yeah to you for thinking about bees and other pollinators.
First off, I am sorry to hear that some of the effectiveness of commercial products you use to deter deer have declined. (As I know first hand what damage they can do!)
Make sure you are following label directions (the label is the law) if you are mixing concentrate solution to reap the most benefits of these applications.
You can also try alternating commercial applications for better effectiveness.
Please see the following sites for more information on deterring deer from your garden:
https://extension.psu.edu/white-tailed-deer-in-home-fruit-plantings
https://www.ecolandscaping.org/05/resources/eco-answers/eco-answers-from-the-pros-spring-2022/
In regards to your question about homemade solutions to deter deer, I would advise caution. Depending on what mixture you use, you may have an adverse impact on pollinators, especially birds and bees. See the following:
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw591.pdf
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/capgen.html
Good luck to you in the deer deterrent fight and yeah to you for thinking about bees and other pollinators.
