Does Irish Spring Soap Repel Deer?
Written By: Ruth Muhtsun
The agricultural revolution was an important stage in human history. The ability to grow food allowed people to stay in one place and start civilizations. For the rest of the animal kingdom, human grown gardens have provided ready made buffets for the wandering. For many gardeners these meandering freeloaders can be a nuisance, especially larger organisms like deer.
One
old wife’s tale suggests using Irish Spring soap to repel pesky deer.
Take a moment to recall the TV ads from the 1990s in which a model steps
into the shower lethargically, then is suddenly bright-eyed and bushy
tailed at the first whiff. So it’s easy to imagine that an organism with
a more acute sense of smell would have a more intolerable experience.
However, there is no credible evidence that Irish Spring alone can keep
away deer. Furthermore, review of several popular search engine forums
report mixed results of the effectiveness of Irish Spring soap. Not to
say there is no validity in the myth, but as deer populations continue
to grow, a little odor is nothing to a hungry family.
This does not mean there isn’t any hope for gardeners and deer to coexist happily. It also doesn’t mean that you have to bombard your backyard with chemicals and consume mutant produce. On the contrary, there are various natural ways to keep does and bucks from stopping at your house. Rhonda Massingham, Author of Deer Proofing Your Yard and Garden has several keen ideas to natural deter deer from the fruits and flowers of your labor. Massingham recommends a formula that has proven to thwart not only deer, but also rabbits and other rodents. The recipe calls for:
1 large egg, beaten
1 quart water
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
A few drops liquid dish-washing soap (or dissolved Irish Spring if you prefer)
Mix these ingredients together, and for extra potency let the mixture sit for several days. The egg that emits sulfuric acid and capsaicin (chemical that produces spice) from the peppers will repel deer. The stench eventually subsides for humans, but is obnoxious to pests. You can use a spray bottle, but a cheesecloth is suggested as pepper can clog sprayers. Don’t forget to repeat after rain or waterings.
But when attacking the olfactory sense is not enough, gardeners can arrange their space to avert deer invasions. Many may have herd fencing your property as a way to keep deer out. Keep in mind though deer can jump up to five feet with ease. On the other hand, you can use psychology against them. Since deer will not risk going where they cannot see, it is advised to plant solid hedges or a lattice of morning glories to put off deer from your garden. Keep your azaleas, English ivy, tulips, beans, sweet corn and euonymus inside the border, these are foods deer love. On the outside of your perimeter, it is a good idea to sow verbena, geraniums, peonies, wisteria, and black locusts, all plants deer detest.
Now you can take a breath, put down the gas mask and spray, and pick up Deer Proofing Your Yard and Garden and other organic gardening books published by Storey Publishing, Inc. We can enjoy our civilized way of life without doing harm to ourselves and our planet.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Start, Clarissa. "OH DEER, WHAT CAN THE MATTER BE? BAMBI'S DEVOURING THE YARD, AND RACCOONS CRUISE BY." St. Louis Post-Dispatch 27 Nov. 1997, FIVE STAR LIFT, WEST POST: 7. NewsBank. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.
Post-Dispatch Garden Editor, Becky Homan. "SCRAM! SCAT! GIT!." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) 22 Sep. 2001, FIVE STAR LIFT, LIFESTYLE: 20. NewsBank. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.
The agricultural revolution was an important stage in human history. The ability to grow food allowed people to stay in one place and start civilizations. For the rest of the animal kingdom, human grown gardens have provided ready made buffets for the wandering. For many gardeners these meandering freeloaders can be a nuisance, especially larger organisms like deer.
This does not mean there isn’t any hope for gardeners and deer to coexist happily. It also doesn’t mean that you have to bombard your backyard with chemicals and consume mutant produce. On the contrary, there are various natural ways to keep does and bucks from stopping at your house. Rhonda Massingham, Author of Deer Proofing Your Yard and Garden has several keen ideas to natural deter deer from the fruits and flowers of your labor. Massingham recommends a formula that has proven to thwart not only deer, but also rabbits and other rodents. The recipe calls for:
1 large egg, beaten
1 quart water
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
A few drops liquid dish-washing soap (or dissolved Irish Spring if you prefer)
Mix these ingredients together, and for extra potency let the mixture sit for several days. The egg that emits sulfuric acid and capsaicin (chemical that produces spice) from the peppers will repel deer. The stench eventually subsides for humans, but is obnoxious to pests. You can use a spray bottle, but a cheesecloth is suggested as pepper can clog sprayers. Don’t forget to repeat after rain or waterings.
But when attacking the olfactory sense is not enough, gardeners can arrange their space to avert deer invasions. Many may have herd fencing your property as a way to keep deer out. Keep in mind though deer can jump up to five feet with ease. On the other hand, you can use psychology against them. Since deer will not risk going where they cannot see, it is advised to plant solid hedges or a lattice of morning glories to put off deer from your garden. Keep your azaleas, English ivy, tulips, beans, sweet corn and euonymus inside the border, these are foods deer love. On the outside of your perimeter, it is a good idea to sow verbena, geraniums, peonies, wisteria, and black locusts, all plants deer detest.
Now you can take a breath, put down the gas mask and spray, and pick up Deer Proofing Your Yard and Garden and other organic gardening books published by Storey Publishing, Inc. We can enjoy our civilized way of life without doing harm to ourselves and our planet.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Start, Clarissa. "OH DEER, WHAT CAN THE MATTER BE? BAMBI'S DEVOURING THE YARD, AND RACCOONS CRUISE BY." St. Louis Post-Dispatch 27 Nov. 1997, FIVE STAR LIFT, WEST POST: 7. NewsBank. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.
Post-Dispatch Garden Editor, Becky Homan. "SCRAM! SCAT! GIT!." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) 22 Sep. 2001, FIVE STAR LIFT, LIFESTYLE: 20. NewsBank. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.
Posted by Urban Growth KC at 11/9/2010 10:22 AM 
Categories: informative
Tags: irish spring soap deer remedy soap products deer repellant energy tips deer population irish spring soap
Categories: informative
Tags: irish spring soap deer remedy soap products deer repellant energy tips deer population irish spring soap
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