How to Keep Deer From Eating Your Daylilies, According to Gardening Experts

Daylilies are among the first perennials to appear in spring, sometimes breaking through the soil before the last snows melt. These fast-growing plants produce tall, vibrant green foliage, followed by slender flowering stalks. Because daylilies emerge before many other plants, deer target them.

After the dormant growing season of winter, deer are more than ready to seek out fresh green growth—and your daylilies may be exactly what they're looking for. If they acquire a taste for your plants, deer won't hesitate to consume the roots, leaves, stems, buds, and flowers of daylilies. Protect your daylilies now by using expert-recommended strategies to keep deer at bay. 

Make a Hot Pepper Spray

Cayenne peppers contain capsaicin, the compound that gives the plant its heat. Spraying a homemade cayenne pepper solution or sprinkling cayenne pepper around your daylilies can keep deer away, but it's not a foolproof solution. "Hot pepper works, in my opinion, in the short term," says landscape gardener Teri Speight. "If it rains, you have to reapply." She adds that some plant foliage can react to the capsaicin in the cayenne pepper, so test it on a small area of the plant first. Stay on top of regular applications to maximize efficacy. 

Keep Containers of Mint Nearby

The scent of mint is often useful in repelling animal and insect pests, and it's Speight's top recommendation for a natural way to keep deer away from daylilies. She recommends keeping the containers off the ground so the mint can't take root in your garden; this plant is known for being aggressive and invasive when grown in the ground.

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Set Up a Physical Barrier

The best way to keep deer from accessing your daylilies is to set up a physical barrier, such as a fence. While fencing is an excellent long-term answer to this problem, it can be cost- and labor-intensive. For a quick solution, our experts recommend wrapping a ring of welded wire or chicken wire several feet high around your daylilies. 

Use Plants with Strong Scents

Surround your daylilies with plants that emit strong scents deer find unpleasant. "The main factor in deer deterrent efficacy is the smell," says Speight. "Strong scents will keep deer at bay." Marigolds are one popular option, but Speight notes she has had the most success using bee balm, black cohosh, and lady's mantle. Work these plants into your gardening plan to keep deer away from your yard.

Try Liquid Repellents

Thanks to the fact that deer dislike certain strong scents, you may find success with commercially available liquid repellents that contain ingredients like putrescent eggs and garlic. Steven D. Jones of Fieldstone Gardens grows over 200 daylily varieties and has had good success with this type of repellent. "It does have to get reapplied depending on rainfall or irrigation, etc.," he notes.