The two biggest issues people have gardening in this area are deer and Home Owner’s Associations (HOAs). You laugh, but it is true.
Honestly the two best ways to keep deer out are:
1. Fence your garden
2. Container garden on a deck or patio deer don’t frequent.
There are other ways to keep deer away, most involving something pretty smelly. You can buy a predator animal urine product or make your own smelly stuff with rotten eggs and milk, garlic and hot pepper. They do work and all these wash off in rains, so remember to reapply least those deer take advantage of a rainy night.
And if your HOA bans you from growing your own food, join them, get on the gardening committee (or make one) and be the person who helps them change their tune. It can be a rewarding community experience if you enter the process in the disposition of prior unity vs. opposition.
Want info on dealing with other critters, we cover allot more in the Foundations of Organic Gardening Course.
Deb: For me, the worst critters have been chipmunks and mice. They can run between wire covering and smell seeds under the soil. I will be using finer mesh
wire on all sides including under the soil. So far the deer are happy with the white clover and have left alone the broccoli and lettuce, But the beans and hydrangea were hit by deer. Oranges and citronella near the hostas have saved them this year.
Thanks for the tip on the oranges. Margret tired the Irish Spring soap idea and that seemed to help with the deer, not the rabbits though. Fencing is better for them. Smaller mesh for the chipmunks is a good way to go.