Ramsey County

Every year we get very frustrated with the different animals that raid our gardens, flowers and trees.  There are many different repellents available for use by the homeowner with some working better for some cases and others not so well.  Listed below are some repellents that might work.  Some are manufactured repellents and others are homemade repellents.  “Remember repellents are not a poison but simply a repellent”.

Deer and Rabbits:

Liquid Fence: Use this product to repel deer and rabbits from landscaping, garden areas, flowers, shrubs, plants, trees and vines.  This easy to use product is environmentally sage and completely biodegradable.  Safe for both pets and people, it won’t harm the animals you’re trying to keep away or the plants that you are trying to protect.  This product is available from the Local Soil Conservation office.

 There are also some home brew repellents that also might work for you.

            Pepper Repellent:

• One gallon of water

• 2-4 tablespoons of finely ground Cayenne or Habanero peppers

• 2-4 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce

• 2-4 tablespoons of Elmer’s Glue

Blend together and spray or sprinkle on the foliage and/or stems of vulnerable plants

Homemade Deer Repellent with Eggs

In a blender, mix two eggs to one cup of water.  Blend well then add one cup of skim milk and any type of sticker such as soap.  Put this mixture into a sprayer and spray a light mist over the plant.  There will be very little odor but deer will not find it appetizing.  This recipe is over one hundred years old and is suppose to be very effective. Re-apply after heavy rains.

Other repellents and Deterrents

• Talc

• Thiram Fungicide- do not use on edible plant parts

• Commercial brands of deer and rabbit repellent

• Bars of Irish Spring soap tied to the branches is suppose to deter deer

• Electric fence

• Sprinkle cayenne peppers in the garden to deter cats and dogs.

• Wrapping the trees with either a fence, burlap or aluminum foil

A good rabbit repellent is a mixture of 85% raw linseed oil, 5% household detergent and 10% water.  This can be applied with either a paintbrush or small sprayer.

Wood Peckers

These are pesty birds that are very habitual and will attack the same location daily.  They are looking for insects that are feeding on the sap of the tree.  They are most active in the spring.  Woodpeckers will not only attack trees but will also attack the wood siding on a home.  Spruce, Pine and Birch are the favored trees but they will also attack other trees as well. 

Prevention: Persistence of these birds makes an unfavorable foe.  Sticky repellents such as Tanglefoot and Bird stop can be effective but application of the products can be difficult because of the location or height of the bird activity.  Visual aids such as owls and pie tins can be effective in certain situations.

Rodents

Several rodents can cause problems for trees during the winter months.  Damages are often severe and often will the kill the tree.  Some rodents feed on the bark and others like beaver feed on the wood. 

Prevention: Wrapping the trees with a mesh hardware cloth would be a good start.  Do not use cloth or burlap, as this would be an invitation for the rodents to chew on and live with/by.  Rabbits could be held at bay with a fence around the garden area.  The most effective repellent for rodents are those containing Thiram, a common fungicide.  Products that contain Thiram include: Chaperone, Science Deer and Rabbit Repellent, Bonide Rabbit and Deer Repellent, Nott Chew-Not and Gustafson 42S. 

Bill Hodous, Extension Agent/Ramsey County
524 4th Ave #5, 2nd Floor Ramsey County Courthouse
Devils Lake  ND  58301
701-662-7027
email - ramsey@ndsuext.nodak.edu