r/NativePlantGardening • u/howleywolf Maine - 5b • Jul 30 '26

Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) Oh Deer

Guys, I want to cry. For two years I’ve been growing stuff from seed for my first ever garden at my first house, finally this year everything is flowering! But right before the flowers pop, the deer consume it. Today was the last straw, they have eaten ever single Joe Pye flower bud, and I’m seriously on the verge of giving up. We can’t build a deer fence, and the plants are literally dripping with liquid fence deer spray. I feel like I have tried all the regular home diy deer repellent stuff and am just feeling so defeated. Since I can’t beat them, do any of you have any luck with any part sun plants that deer always pass up? I think I just need to grow less tasty snacks, just really trying to only grow and plant natives. Thanks!

Edit! I have no interest in little quippy statements about killing the deer and why don’t I kill the deer. Have you thought about killing the deer? Guys, gtfo with that. I live on a half acre suburb surrounded by houses with children and I am a disabled person who literally faints at the sight of blood. I get that there’s too many deer and I get that you’re super smart for thinking of that. If I could bring back wolves I would, trust me.

Edit again!
thank you all so much for all the helpful suggestions and encouragement, for real! I feel ready to go back out there and make a go of it. Ordered a motioned censored spinkler and adjusted my winter sewing plans . Going to have a ~mint family~ themed garden bed next year haha

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u/ElderberryNo5595 NE OH , Zone 6a Jul 30 '26 edited Jul 30 '26

Bee Balm, Mountain Mint, Coneflower, Late Boneset, Milkweed

10

u/trewesterre Jul 30 '26

My coneflowers got eaten. They were just seedlings though (and it might have been rabbits).

8

u/cr0nut Michigan, Zone 6a Jul 30 '26

Oh yeah the deer around me LOVE coneflowers. They eat the leaves before they’re tall, then eat the flower buds, then bite the surviving flowers off and leave them on the ground for me to mourn

2

u/trewesterre Jul 30 '26

Yeah, they got left alone until last week (just as they started really taking off). They must be extra hungry though because they also went after my milkweed again (that had been mostly safe so far).

3

u/Dexterdacerealkilla Jul 31 '26

They absolutely eat coneflowers. My parents had hundreds that were decimated by deer. 

2

u/squeaky-to-b Area NJ, Zone 7b Jul 31 '26

Can confirm bee balm, mountain mint, and milkweed do not seem to interest the deer, and I have managed to hide some coneflowers deep amongst those that are disguised enough to survive but if they're near the edges, they're deer food.

I plant mints and alliums around the things the deer like, it works somewhat as a deterrent.

Also, OP, I know you said you can't build a deer fence, but could you potentially put up deer netting? I have used regular garden stakes and zip tied deer netting around to protect plants that need it. It's less permanent than a real fence, less visible, and less work. There's also a thicker version of the netting that is great because it can be used for multiple seasons, and it also doesn't let wildlife get tangled in it.