Reducing White-tailed Deer Damage to Landscape Plants with Organic Products

Abstract Chemical repellency is one of the most selective approaches to controlling white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage to horticultural crops. This study evaluated the continuous efficacy of selected organic products containing garlic, fish oil, or putrescent egg solids against feeding damage caused by confined white-tailed deer to Hosta fortunei L. H. Bailey ‘Francee’, Gomphrena globosa L. ‘Rose’, and Catharanthus roseus L. ‘Pacifica Red’. There was a significant interaction between plant species × product (p u003c 0.02) when all 3 plant species were tested together. When products were tested separately on single plant species, differences (p ≤ 0.05) were detected among products. All products displayed some level of damage control by reducing browsing damage compared to the untreated control; yet for each species, 100% destruction occurred within 5 to 6 days. Overall product efficacy was determined by Overall Rank Sum Index. When product ranks were calculated for the 3 species, products contai...