Deer Damage to Shrubs in Winter: Prevention That Works

In a lot of northern neighborhoods, deer are the biggest threat to landscaping all winter. Once the snow covers their usual food, they move in on yards and strip arborvitae, yews and young trees. I've seen hedges eaten bare to exactly the height a deer can reach. Here's what works.

What deer go after in winter

• Arborvitae (a favorite)
• Yews
• Rhododendrons and azaleas
• Hostas and other perennials (in fall)
• Young fruit trees and ornamental trees
• Bark and buds of young trees

Bucks also rub their antlers on young trees in fall, stripping bark.

Signs of deer damage

• Ragged, torn ends on branches. Deer don't have upper front teeth, so they tear instead of clipping cleanly.
• A browse line, with everything eaten up to about 4 to 6 feet high.
• Tracks and droppings in the snow.
• Rubbed, shredded bark on young tree trunks.

What works

1. Fencing

The most reliable protection.

• Around a whole yard: deer can jump high, so a deer fence typically needs to be about 8 feet tall.
• Around individual plants: a cylinder of fencing or netting around a shrub or young tree, staked in, works well and is cheaper.
• Deer netting draped over shrubs works for winter, but it's a pain with snow.

2. Wraps and guards

• Tree guards or plastic tubes protect young trunks from antler rubs.
• Burlap screens around shrubs also block browsing. See burlap on evergreens.

3. Repellents

Repellents make plants taste or smell bad. They help, but:

• Rotate products; deer get used to one.
• Reapply after rain and snow, and according to the label.
• Start before the deer find the plant. Once they're feeding there, repellents work less well.
• In a hard winter, hungry deer will eat almost anything.

4. Scare devices

Motion-activated sprinklers and lights work in some yards for a while, but deer get used to them, and sprinklers don't help in freezing weather.

What doesn't work well

• Soap bars and hair hung on branches: mixed results at best.
• Feeding deer to keep them off your plants: it draws more deer and is illegal in some areas.

When to put protection up

Before the snow comes, usually late fall. If deer have browsed your yard before, assume they'll come back.

Plan your plantings

If deer are common where you live, choose plants they usually avoid. Your extension service has local "deer-resistant" plant lists. No plant is deer-proof, but some are much less tempting.

After the damage

• Arborvitae and yews browsed lightly often regrow. Heavily browsed arborvitae may not fill back in on the bare lower parts.
• Young trees with bark stripped all the way around may not survive. Partial damage usually heals.

Fence or wrap the plants that matter most, use repellents on the rest, and get it done before the first heavy snow.

Photo: A deer grazing on the trees and shrubs of the park during winter (3ce96957-6979-.JPG) by NPS Photo, Public domain.

Related: Planting Trees in Fall in the Northern US · Emerald Ash Borer: Treat or Remove Your Ash Tree?