A garden is a labor of love and hard work. It takes great efforts and hours of planning and labor to grow fruits, flowers, and beautiful trees. However, while you might take all the necessary care and caution while grooming your garden, wild deer may gain access to it even so. Deer are beautiful creatures, but a herd can easily chew through all the plants in your garden. To avoid such situations, here are a few simple changes you can make while planting your garden.

Grow deer-resistant plants. Plant deciduous shrubs, such as Korean Spice Viburnumon and ‘Blue Chip’ Butterfly Bush, on the periphery of the garden. Because deciduous shrubs grow back fast, the plants will recover even if the deer decides to occasionally nibble on them. Deer also dislike herbal plants, such as mint, lavender, and thyme and tend to stay away from them, so such plants also make a good option for the periphery area. Deer also shy away from ornamental grass, which makes it a great option as well.

Proper landscaping. Make sure plants that attract deer are in the middle of your garden. This will protect your plants, because deer tend not to come into a garden that has deciduous shrubs and herbal plants on the periphery.

Use old coffee grounds. Remember the leftover coffee ground that you throw out every morning? Simply store them in a plastic bag for at least a week, and then spread the grounds in your garden. The odor from wet, old coffee grounds seems to work as a brilliant deer repellent. This will also help you reach your recycling goals.

Plastic and netting. Most growth of the tree happens during spring, and this is the most crucial time for the tree. However, springtime also means deer season. Antler rub can ruin the aesthetics of tree trunk, but more importantly it may kill the tree, depending on the severity. You can protect tree trunks from antler rubs by wrapping them in plastic or netting.

Use a deer repellent. Other than using these easy tips, deer repellents can help. Using a natural deer repellent ensures that no harm is done to the deer while protecting your garden. These days there are a number of organic and natural deer repellent options available in the market. The best natural deer repellents offer potency that doesn’t diminish for days, increasing cost effectiveness.