KatieJ, I've read that there are herbs that deer won't eat but I have been amazed at what deer WILL eat.

When I lived far out in the country, their favorite was the tomatoes - foliage, fruit, eÂt. all. They also cropped the potato leaves. Now, these things are supposed to be, at least, mildly poisonous. But, they were preferred!

What saved my garden during those days was a small dog that would valiantly chase after them. I'd call her back before she got into any trouble. There were plenty of hunters in this locality and the deer were not especially courageous.

Other than the herbs that I've read about and you probably already know, I don't have any fool proof ideas about what deer won't eat. And, altho' we grow bitter melon, we no longer live where deer are a problem.

Here are some ideas on repellents from the University of Connecticut, there's a link at the bottom.:

Bars of fragrant soap
eggs and water applied to the ground using a sprayer
mixture of bone meal plus blood meal
Noise making devices and lights
Human hair
feathermeal
hot pepper sauce
urine of large predators, and
Hinder and Repel (ammonium soaps of higher fatty acids)

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: UConn repellents

Katie,

Just because "bitter"ness is a flavor most humans do not prefer, doesn't mean deer think the same way.

I agree with Steve, look into fencing that other area or grow your vegetables in your fenced in area. It doesn't matter what you grow. You'll always worry. What one deer doesn't like, another will.

If you're "pressed for space" try Square Foot Gardening methods which yeild 100% of the produce in 20% of the space. You can grow vertically as well:

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Deer can jump a 10 foot fence maybe a 15 foot one . They eat poison ivy as forage . Perhaps they would not eat hot pepper plants (habenero) wich are to hot or jicama which is poisonous .