How to Protect Your Trees from Deer: 7 Effective Methods

While ornamental and edible gardens are the primary targets, deer can also cause significant damage to trees. It’s important to know how to protect trees from deer and when to do it if your local herd wants to stop by your yard. Here are the most effective ways to minimize deer damage to your trees so they can continue to grow and thrive for years to come.

What Trees Should You Protect from Deer?

Smooth-barked trees are most susceptible to bark damage during the fall breeding season due to the friction of male deer with their growing antlers. Deer cause damage to trees in other ways, too. They love to nibble on tender buds—they’ll even knock down a newly planted tree to get to the top buds. And they definitely love to chew on plants, especially evergreens in the winter and deciduous trees in the spring.

Deer damage is most likely to occur on smaller trees that are easy to access and haven’t yet developed thick, rough, protective bark. This is most common when deer numbers are high and conditions are stressful, such as very cold temperatures and deep snow. Typically, deer feed on branches less than an inch in diameter. The leaves and twigs that deer feed on tend to be rough rather than the sharp, clean cuts left by animals like rabbits.

Tip:

Deer are creatures of habit and can be persistent in browsing when they find a situation they like. Stay active; don’t let them get in the habit of hunting your trees.

1. Fencing

A high fence is a simple and surefire way to keep deer out of your garden and plants, but it’s better suited to protecting country vegetable gardens than city trees. Deer are adept jumpers, so a 4-foot chain-link fence won’t do the trick. A woven wire fence at least 9 feet high should be in place to keep deer out. You’ll need to check local regulations first, as many municipalities have fence height restrictions.

2. Wire Cylinder

An easy and cheap solution to protect trees from deer is to cut a section of welded wire fencing and form it into a cylinder around valuable plants such as Japanese maples or Eastern white pine. Secure the ends with plastic ties. Leave the cylinders in place until the trees are large enough to avoid serious deer damage.

3. Tree Guards

Tree guards protect the bark of deciduous trees from the friction of their antlers. They come in a variety of diameters and lengths to fit most tree species. Install them in late summer and remove them in spring so they don’t become a haven for insects or nests in the summer.

Some people use tree guards made of corrugated cardboard covered in wax. Others use plastic gutter pipe, which is wider than tree guards and can be cut to any length. Avoid using black plastic guards, which can heat up in the sun and damage the bark.

4. Tree Wrap

Tree wrap can be a better option than guards, as it can be used on a variety of trunk sizes and protects the bark from friction, abrasion, and bark damage caused by the soft bark overheating in winter sunlight and freezing quickly at sunset. Packed tree wrap is made of paper, canvas, or polypropylene. Some people use burlap instead, but it is important to remove the tree wrap in the spring to allow for new growth and prevent pests from taking up residence.

5. Tree Tubes

Tree tubes are similar to tree guards but are designed for very young plants that do not have side branches. Whip-like stems grow inside the tubes, and they are made of plastic that allows sunlight to reach the inside of the plants. Some are breathable, and others are biodegradable. The idea behind the tree tube is that as long as the young tree is above the height of the 5-foot tube, it is above grazing height and can be successful on its own. Tree trunks must be securely anchored to prevent deer from falling.

6. Repellents

Repellents are solutions that are sprayed on plants to deter animals from grazing. Some repel deer with unpleasant tastes, such as hot peppers. Others rely on scents, such as predator urine, which scares them away from the area, or the smell of rotten eggs, which discourages them.

The scent dissipates quickly for humans but remains effective for deer, whose sense of smell is much more sensitive. The repellent must be reapplied regularly as the plant grows or rain falls. Some people use homemade deer repellents.

7. Deer-Resistant Plants

Deer will eat almost anything when they are very hungry and their options are limited. However, some plants are less attractive than others. For example, while deer will eagerly pick at tender life trees, similar-looking but thorny junipers will be ignored. Pine, spruce, and fir trees are also deer-resistant.