Deer always have their eyes on all sorts of plants and your well-kept garden is not an exception to them. As a result, they could destroy your plants or vegetables, leaving the garden in a grand mess. For this reason, you need something that will keep the deer at bay at all times. Deer repellents are the best option for you.

Deer repellents come in different forms. Some come in granules, while others come in a concentrated liquid which you will need to dilute and spray on your plants. 

When choosing the best repellent, always consider the environmentally friendly one and the one that is made with natural ingredients to avoid harming your pets or children if you have them around your home.

Choosing the best deer repellent can be overwhelming, given that there are many products in the market from different manufacturers. Therefore, to make your shopping easier, our experts have tested and reviewed the best deer repellents that are highly effective and that you might need to consider. 

After settling on your best choice, don’t forget to click on the buttons below each item for you to see their best deals on Amazon.

Best Deer Repellents Comparison & Rating

Deer Repellents

Features

Deer Out 32oz Concentrate Deer Repellent
  • minty fresh scent that
  • no chemical or poisonous ingredients
  • can repel deer for up to 3-4 months
  • granules
  • biological scent-based formula
  • protects up to 5,400 square feet
I Must Garden Deer Repellent: Spice Scent Deer Spray for Gardens & Plants – Natural Ingredients – 32oz Ready to Use
  • strong sticking agents
  • ready-to-use spray
  • natural ingredients and botanical oils
  • safe to use on most plants
  • taste and smell deterrents
  • best applied during 35-85 degrees Fahrenheit setting
  • 100% dried blood
  • convenient shaker jug
  • application frequency should be 6-8 weeks

1. Deer Out Concentrate Deer Repellent

Deer Out 32oz Concentrate Deer Repellent
Specifications:
97% Overall

Brand

Deer Out

Form

Concentrated Liquid

Weight

2.4 pounds

Dimensions

8.9 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches

98%
repelling power
95%
versatility
95%
retention
98%
value for money
Pros:
  • Has a minty fresh scent that repels deer but a nice scent for humans.
  • Made with 2 natural stickers that keep it stuck on your plants without washing out easily.
  • No chemical or poisonous ingredients are used.
  • It’s safe to use on edible fruits and vegetables. You can also use it on shrubs, flowers, row crops, vines and trees.
  • Long-lasting. It can repel deer for up to 3-4 months or even longer.
  • Works great for all seasons: summer, spring or even winter.
  • The 32 oz of the concentrated liquid makes 2.5 gallons of the repellent.
Cons:
  • Needs to be applied multiple times a week to get optimum results.
  • Could be washed off by heavy rains.
Final Take:

A nice smelling deer repellent is good around your garden. This repellent cannot affect or offend your breathing since it has a minty fresh odor that you will love. The 2 natural stickers ensure that whenever you spray the repellent, it will stay active under favorable weather and your garden will be protected from deer at all times. Additionally, this deer repellent cannot harm your pets or children when they walk around the yard or garden. The smell itself is enough to repel the deer without it nibbling on your plants. Hence, this deer repellent is very effective.

2. Enviro Pro 1025 Deer Scram Repellent

Specifications:
97% Overall

Brand

Enviro Pro

Form

Granules

Weight

25 pounds

Dimensions

12 x 12 x 16 inches

97%
repelling power
96%
versatility
97%
retention
96%
value for money
Pros:
  • Does not require any measuring or spraying. You scoop from the bucket and sprinkle.
  • Environmentally friendly. It cannot harm animals or humans.
  • The granules do not dissolve quickly, even in the rain or snow. They won’t wash off quickly, making them last longer, protecting your garden.
  • Besides repelling deer, they can also repel rabbits.
  • The granules are biodegradable. They eventually degrade into organic material in the soil. This is very beneficial to your plant’s health.
  • Use a biological scent-based formula. They emit an odor that does not smell bad to humans but strong for wild animals.
  • Easy to use, and it is applied every 30-40 days, depending on the weather.
  • Protects up to 5,400 square feet.
Cons:
  • Very tough packaging that opening it could be a problem to old individuals or to those with weak muscles.
  • Expensive, especially that it needs to be reapplied after some months or after a heavy rain.
Final Take:

This deer repellent has a very unpleasant odor on wild animals. It smells like the remains of a dead deer. This makes the deer not come close to your garden. The active ingredients are high nitrogen organic nutrients, and it does not contain synthetic additives or poison. This makes it safe to use around pets if you have them apart from dogs. The repellent is also easy to use. You scoop directly from the pail and sprinkle it around the perimeter area you want to protect from the deer. The smell that the granules emit will discourage the deer from returning to your garden.

3. I Must Garden Deer Repellent

I Must Garden Deer Repellent: Spice Scent Deer Spray for Gardens & Plants – Natural Ingredients – 32oz Ready to Use
Specifications:
95% Overall

Brand

I Must Garden

Form

Liquid (Teady-to-Spray)

Weight

2.25 pounds

Dimensions

4.5 x 2.9 x 11.2 inches

97%
repelling power
95%
versatility
95%
retention
94%
value for money
Pros:
  • Made of natural ingredients that make the deer unable to eat the plants. Another component is strong botanical oils which strongly irritates the deer’s sense of smell hence repelling them.
  • Has triple the number of active ingredients than other repellents. This maximizes plant protection from deer.
  • Safe to spray directly to the plants that deer like to nibble. It protects perennials plants like day lilies, shrubs like roses, and vegetables. All these are deer's favorite.
  • Has strong sticking agents that make the repellent stick on the leaves of the plant for longer. This provides long-lasting protection.
  • The natural ingredients and botanical oils are safe for pets, humans, and pollinators.
  • Environmentally friendly since it does not contain harmful chemicals or glues that might harm the wildlife.
  • Rain-resistant. You do not need to reapply after average rainfall.
  • The repellent is a ready-to-use spray.
Cons:
  • Needs some time to set on plants as it could be washed away by a heavy rainfall.
  • After using 70 to 80 percent of the content, using the spray will be a bit difficult as you will experience an irregular amount of spray.
  • A bit pricey for the features it offers.
Final Take:

This great smelling repellent is what you might need to consider for you to keep the deer at bay from your different plants and vegetables. Unlike other deer repellents, this is made with concentrated botanical oils, which highly irritate the deer's sense of smell. You also don't have to worry about your pets or children while using this repellent since it is made with natural ingredients which are environmentally friendly and will not harm them. It's effortless to use since you apply on dry plants and allow it to dry for at least one hour before spraying or rainfall. Ensure to spray after every 30 days to maintain control of repelling deer.

4. Bobbex Deer Deterrent Refill

Specifications:
95% Overall

Brand

Bobbex

Form

Liquid (Refill)

Weight

7 pounds

Dimensions

11.5 x 8.2 x 6.1 inches

96%
repelling power
92%
versatility
96%
retention
95%
value for money
Pros:
  • Long-lasting. Once you spray on your plants, it won’t wash away easily.
  • Environmentally friendly since it is made with natural ingredients. The ingredients are both taste and smell deterrents.
  • Easy to use. It is already diluted in water. You refill your trigger spray device and apply it directly on the surfaces of the plants.
  • The deterrents are environmentally compatible and cannot harm the wildlife, your pet, or even yourself.
  • Safe to use on most plants. You can spray it directly to ornamental flowers and most edible vegetables.
  • Best to use it on dry plants when the temperature is between 35-85 degrees Fahrenheit during winter.
Cons:
  • Has an extremely strong scent that could also be offensive to users but it soon dissipates.
  • Washes off after a heavy rain.
Final Take:

This deer repellent will undoubtedly work effectively in your garden. To be effective, always make sure that you spray it on dry plants when the temperature is between 35-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Coating all surfaces front and back, allow it to dry for at least 6 hours before watering or before the rain falls. Moreover, this repellent can be used all year round without any worry of being washed off by rain or by irrigation.

5. Plantskydd Animal Repellent

Specifications:
94% Overall

Brand

Plantskydd

Form

Granules

Weight

8.42 pounds

Dimensions

13 x 8 x 5 inches

95%
repelling power
97%
versatility
93%
retention
89%
value for money
Pros:
  • Made of 100% dried blood (porcine and/or bovine).
  • The application frequency should be 6-8 weeks during the active growing season and at the start of the dormant season, and again before the snowfalls.
  • Can be used all year round to repel deer, rabbits, elk, and other herbivores that might ruin your plants.
  • Ideal for plants below 2-foot high.
  • Packed with a convenient shaker jug to enhance easy sprinkling.
  • Does not harm bees or birds; hence it’s pollination friendly.
Cons:
  • The 3.5-pound package seems too short to cover the suggested coverage area of 1750 square feet, especially if you need to reapply after a heavy rain.
  • Can leave stains on rocks and other concrete surfaces.
Final Take:

This deer repellent is very effective for your garden and plants. Besides it repelling deer, it also repels rabbits, elk, hares, voles, squirrels, and chipmunks. All these are herbivores that might come close to your plants, munch, and destroy your garden. The granules are very easy to use since you sprinkle them before the animal damage begins. It would be best if you sprinkled the granules around the plants to cover the ground visibly. You can also use the repellent for bulb protection by sprinkling it into holes when planting and on the ground around them after planting.

Best Deer Repellents - Buyer's Guide

Scent

Different deer repellents have distinct scents depending on the ingredients used by the manufacturer. Some have pleasant scents, while others have foul odors. Both the pleasant and the unpleasant scented repellents are irritating to the deer. Please choose the best depending on the place where you want to use it. If it's around your home, you need to use pleasant smelling repellents like cloves or fresh herbs.

Form

Find the form of repellent that best suits you and the one that will make the application easier. Some are granules that you sprinkle around the plants. Others come in spray form whereby you spray on your plants, and the deer cannot come close because of the irritating scent or taste.

Safe

This is a factor that you should consider more so if you have children and pets around. This is so because some repellents have toxins and chemicals while others have natural ingredients which are completely safe around children or pets. You need to choose wisely and go for those that are not harmful to both pets and children.

versatility

If you have different herbivores that are nibbling your plants now and then, go for a versatile repellent. This is the repellent that can keep both the deer and the herbivores away from your garden. The ideal repellent should only keep them at bay without harming them.

retention

Some deer repellents cannot withstand heavy rains, while others can stick without washing off. Check on the best repellent that can withstand the weather during that season. If you are using the same brand for all seasons, consider reapplying when it’s washed off or when the manufacturer's stipulated time has elapsed.

Best Deer Repellents - FAQs

How do I use spray deer repellents?

You spray your plants thoroughly while they are dry and let them dry for at least an hour before irrigating, watering, or rainfall. Don’t forget to reapply after a certain duration of time stated by the manufacturer so that the deer won't nibble your plants.

What makes deer repellents work?

Deer repellents work by emitting a scent that irritates the smelling scents of a deer. Others have an unpleasant taste; hence when they taste the leaves, they cannot stand the smell and the taste. This keeps them off.

Will the repellents harm the deer?

No. Most common deer repellents are made from natural ingredients and oils. These components do not kill or harm the deer. They are safe, but they can't stand the smell or taste; hence, they can no longer come closer to your plants.

Can the repellents harm or make my plants wither?

No. As a result, when you use the repellents more so the granular, they are biodegradable; hence when they decompose, they become organic and are useful to make your plants grow healthy, just like fertilizers.

Author

Jessie is a landscape artist famous among folks in Los Angeles who are obsessed with keeping their lawns pristine and divine. He worked for BrightView Holdings, Inc. back in 2015 and now owns a brick-and-mortar business that offers all kinds of gardening tools and machines. Ask him all you need to know about your mower or your fertilizer, and he will answer you while sipping a cup of coffee.