Deer Repellant - Ask Extension
Hello!
My husband and I bought a house last year and it has some lovely perennials. But the deer are destroying my hostas. They are eating the lea...
Knowledgebase
Deer Repellant #878634
Asked July 24, 2024, 5:25 PM EDT
Hello!
My husband and I bought a house last year and it has some lovely perennials. But the deer are destroying my hostas. They are eating the leaves off the top of every stem. There are many “solutions” online ranging from soap to spicy sprays and even the deer scram. I would like a mostly natural solution to the problem, so I’m curious if you have any methods that you found to be effective. I have shady areas in my yard and I would really like to incorporate more and various hostas into the landscape; but definitely not if I can’t keep the deer from eating them. Or, is there a family of hostas or something similar that is deer resistant that I could use instead?
Thank you for the ideas and your time.
Sincerely
Amanda
Geauga County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello Amanda,
Although no Hosta is actually deer-proof, varieties like 'Blue Mouse Ears' with it's thicker, textured leaf, are less likely to be eaten by deer; however, that still doesn't mean that they will try to browse/nibble on them.
You could try other shade-loving plants that are known as deer resistant like Hellebores, Heucheras (commonly known as "Coral Bells"), Ferns (like the Japanese Painted Fern, a silver-foliaged type) and Bergenia plants like 'Miss Piggy', with their large glossy leaves, which are plants that are unlikely to attract deer.
Hope that helps,
Although no Hosta is actually deer-proof, varieties like 'Blue Mouse Ears' with it's thicker, textured leaf, are less likely to be eaten by deer; however, that still doesn't mean that they will try to browse/nibble on them.
You could try other shade-loving plants that are known as deer resistant like Hellebores, Heucheras (commonly known as "Coral Bells"), Ferns (like the Japanese Painted Fern, a silver-foliaged type) and Bergenia plants like 'Miss Piggy', with their large glossy leaves, which are plants that are unlikely to attract deer.
Hope that helps,
