Deer eating black eyed Susan’s - Ask Extension
In the past few decades, the deer have started nibbling on my extensive displays of black-eyed Susans. As you can see, they nibble off the top and the...
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Deer eating black eyed Susan’s #911884
Asked July 29, 2025, 1:27 PM EDT
In the past few decades, the deer have started nibbling on my extensive displays of black-eyed Susans. As you can see, they nibble off the top and then it branches out. What in your suggestion is the best remedy to try and get Bambi to stop eating my black-eyed Susans.
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
Whether deer, rabbits, or groundhogs are eating the plants (if you haven't caught the deer in the act, rabbits are a distinct possibility, given how cleanly-snipped these stems are; deer tend to tear off pieces by comparison), they all tend to be targeted by the same array of repellent products. Repellents can be formulated as sprays or dry granules, and they will require re-application after heavy rain or after enough new growth has emerged that is untreated and vulnerable to browsing. The ingredients will vary from one product to another, but generally, they use ingredients that both taste bad and smell bad to the deer. Some smell pretty bad to humans too, but only when they're freshly applied; once they dry, they're less detectable to us.
Extension doesn't have have a product reference list to share, nor have we rated which are the most effective, as that can vary with deer herd individuals and how hungry and desperate they are. (Additionally, young deer need to learn what to eat, so they can sample lots of things that otherwise would not appeal to them, from distasteful plants to those that had repellent applied to them.)
Other than using a repellent, the only other recourse is denying them access to the plants with fencing or netting. Be advised, though, that deer netting might risk trapping birds (their feet might get stuck if they land on it and struggle), snakes, and other wildlife. Netting has the advantage of potentially being nearly invisible when laid over shrubs and perennials, but it actually should be flagged in several locations (if it's mounted taut to posts) so animals don't blindly run into it, which will not only risk hurting them, but will also ruin or remove the netting and giving deer access to the uncovered plants.
Unfortunately, using unpalatable plants grown near or among the palatable species being browsed is not a reliable way to get deer to bypass the plants they find edible.
Miri
Extension doesn't have have a product reference list to share, nor have we rated which are the most effective, as that can vary with deer herd individuals and how hungry and desperate they are. (Additionally, young deer need to learn what to eat, so they can sample lots of things that otherwise would not appeal to them, from distasteful plants to those that had repellent applied to them.)
Other than using a repellent, the only other recourse is denying them access to the plants with fencing or netting. Be advised, though, that deer netting might risk trapping birds (their feet might get stuck if they land on it and struggle), snakes, and other wildlife. Netting has the advantage of potentially being nearly invisible when laid over shrubs and perennials, but it actually should be flagged in several locations (if it's mounted taut to posts) so animals don't blindly run into it, which will not only risk hurting them, but will also ruin or remove the netting and giving deer access to the uncovered plants.
Unfortunately, using unpalatable plants grown near or among the palatable species being browsed is not a reliable way to get deer to bypass the plants they find edible.
Miri
