There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing your garden grow and flourish. But when deers start nibbling on your plants, it can be frustrating, to say the least. Despite your best efforts, they always seem to find a way into your garden. So, what can you do to keep them out?
If you’re living in an area frequently visited by deers, choosing deer-resistant ground covers and border plants can significantly minimize the damage to your garden. Sedums are often a popular choice for deer-resistant plants. But are they really effective in keeping deer out?
Can Sedums Deter Deers?
Sedums are often considered perfect ground covers, vigorous and perfectly beautiful in their own way. Not only can they thrive in different types of soil, but their easy-to-care nature also makes them a top choice for gardeners. But like most gardeners, you’re probably wondering if they can keep deer at bay.
Well, the short answer is yes. These perennial plants belonging to the stonecrop family are known for their thick and fleshy leaves. This plant is considered to have succulent characteristics because it can store water in its leaves and stems.
The fleshy leaves and their thick and leathery texture make it an unappetizing choice for deer. But that’s not all. The saponins present in the leaves can also deter deer from eating them.
Characterized by their star-shaped flowers, sedums aren’t just pretty. They’re tough and easily forgive neglect. These are some of the reasons why they’re often the top choice in terms of deer-resistant ground covers.
On a general note, there are three main varieties of Sedum (Stonecrop) plants: upright, mat-forming, and trailing. All varieties are great in terms of deer resistance.
Keeping the Deer Out of Stonecrop
Despite their deer-resistant nature, there are still some ways that deer can get to your stonecrop plants. Although deers don’t usually eat stonecrops, they can still damage the plant by trampling it, getting through your fence, or reaching over from the other side.
Here are some tips on how you can keep deer out of your stonecrop plants:
Build a Physical Barrier
This is typically one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep deer away from your stonecrop plants. Fences made of chicken wire or hardware cloth can help keep deer out. Remember that deers can jump fairly high, so keep in mind that your fences need to be high enough.
The best thing about using a physical barrier is that it doesn’t require much effort on your part. You can simply build the fence and let it do its job in keeping deer out.
While it’s true that it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing option, building a physical barrier is an effective way to keep deer away from your stonecrop plants.
Use Deer Repellents
Deer repellents can be used in combination with a physical barrier or on their own. You can always plant your stonecrops in an area that’s already been treated with a deer repellent.
There are also a number of commercial deer repellents that you can use. They may either come in the form of a spray or granules. Sprays are applied directly to the plants, while granules are sprinkled around the base of the plant. You may also scatter the granules around your fence (if any) to further deter deer from getting into your garden.
Both methods are effective in keeping deer away from your stonecrops. But keep in mind that you need to reapply the repellent every few weeks, especially after a rainfall.
Plant Herbs
Did you know that some herbs can also help keep deer away from your stonecrop plants? Planting certain herbs around your stonecrops can help deter deer from getting to them. Some of the most popular are peppermint, lavender, and rosemary.
Aside from making our dishes flavorful, they can also play their part in keeping deer away from our gardens. Peppermint has a strong and minty smell that deer don’t like. While lavender emits a relaxing fragrance for humans, its scent is off-putting for deers. Rosemary has an earthy scent that mostly deters deer from eating plants.
Stonecrop Deer Resistant: Final Thoughts
Stonecrop plants are famous not just because of the beautiful clusters of flowers they produce. It’s been almost the top choice when it comes to deer-resistant ground covers, thanks to its thick and fleshy leaves.
However, there are “rare” occurrences where some wild deers may still munch on your stonecrops. While you can count on your groundcover to be largely deer-resistant, there are still ways that deer can get to it.
Building a fence, using repellents, and planting herbs can act as a second line of defense in keeping deer away from your stonecrop plants and other plants in your garden.
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