Thanks for contacting Ask Extension. A fence is your best option but if they won’t let you put one up you can wrap the trunk of your crabapple tree with tree wrap or a plastic tree guard that wraps around the trunk. Wrap should only be left on for 3-4 months to prevent diseases and insects from doing damage to the trunk. There are also several kinds of repellents that you can spray on the tree and it’s trunk that smell bad or have an objectionable taste and repel deer. There is also a granular type that can be spread on your lawn around the tree that will repel the deer. Many of these repellents must be reapplied after a rain or irrigation. Always follow instructions on the label.

Arborvitae are another favorite of deer. Durning the winter months you can wrap them in burlap when deer activity is highest. You could also try wrapping the tree with deer fence. It is very hard to see this kind of fence so maybe your association would allow it.

Another strategy is to choose plants that deer don’t like. Unfortunately, both crabapple and arborvitae are favorite foods for deer. Deer often avoid pines, spruces, larches, cypress and boxwood. In spring and summer, forsythia, weigelia, spirea and ninebark attract fewer deer. For late-season color, try callicarpa (beautyberry) or potentilla. Deer tend to be put off by fuzzy, coarse or “fern-like” foliage, and leaves or stems with strong odors or spines. Some plants less attractive to deer are lamb’s ears, hellebores, ornamental grasses, ferns, catmint, Russian sage, lavender and snakeroot. While deer love tulips, they tend to avoid other bulbs such as daffodil, allium, grape hyacinth and autumn crocus. Here is a link to an article that lists deer resistance of various plants: https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/publications/FS655-ResistanceDeer.pdf

Here is a link to a Smart Gardening article from Michigan State University Extension about deterring deer in your yard:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/smart_gardening_to_deter_deer

Here is a video showing you some techniques to protect your plants from deer damage:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/videos/smart-gardening-to-deter-deer-1

Here are some links to additional articles about preventing deer damage in your yard:

https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/white-tailed-deer-damage#netting%2C-tubes-or-other-protective-structures-1880562

https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-protect-trees-and-shrubs-animal-damage-over-winter