Benefits

• Natural deer repellents protect plants and spare the environment more than commercial chemical repellents. Harsh chemicals used in the garden evaporate into the air or flow into water supplies, causing pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
  
  

Physical Barriers

• The best way to keep deer away from a plant is a fence, according to the National Gardening Association. Since deer can jump several feet, a tall fence--around 7 feet--works best. Gardeners can also keep deer away from plants by planting them in a greenhouse or putting netting over the plants, although deer often figure out how to eat plants through nets.
  
  

Plant Repellents

• Gardeners can also plant things that deer do not find tasty to make a garden less attractive to the animals. The National Gardening Association recommends planting succulents, poisonous plants, plants with furry leaves and very pungent plants to deter deer.
  
  

Natural Sprays

• A variety of natural deer repellent sprays work without harming the environment. The National Gardening Association recommends spraying a garden with a predatory animal's urine to scare away deer, but only if that type of predatory animal actually lives in the area. Local gardening stores and online retailers also sell sprays made from eggs and natural soaps.
  
  

Other Repellents

• Other deer repellents that do not involve spraying harsh chemicals on plants include lights and pets. The National Gardening Association suggests a flashing LED light to scare away deer overnight. Cities with large residential deer problems may want to consider providing adequate deer habitats away from home gardens to attract deer away from neighborhood gardens. Keeping backyard dogs can also help scare away deer.