If your valuable landscaping plants are being destroyed by deer, En Garde Deer Defense is actually effective at keeping them away

By Mitch Allen

Northeast Ohio’s beautiful park systems are among the best things about living here. From the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the Metroparks to many municipal parks, there are plenty of natural spaces to walk, hike, bike, cross country ski, horseback ride, etc.

Of course, one of the challenges of this proximity to nearly 100,000 acres of protected nature is our duty to coexist with the forest creatures who live there.

Even without the adjacency of parks, many small woodland animals live in the suburbs—songbirds, bats, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, possums and racoons. Nearby parks, however, provide protection for many of these species’ predators, including hawks, foxes, and an increasing number of coyotes, which are now found in all 88 Ohio counties.

But one animal stands out in its ability to cause damage to our property, including our automobiles and our beautiful and valuable landscaping: Odocoileus virginianus, known more commonly as the white-tailed deer.

Deer Overpopulation
According to Jeff Ardo, founder of En Garde Deer Defense, the overpopulation of deer has been an issue in Northeast Ohio for many years.

“When their food source is plentiful, deer reproduce rapidly, and they have few natural predators in our area,” he says.

As a result, deer are virtually everywhere. Controlling their populations is expensive and the various methods used are controversial, so most municipalities avoid the issue, leaving the task of protecting valuable landscaping flora to each homeowner.

“Unfortunately, deer love to eat many of the same plant species we find beauty in,” Jeff says, “including tulips, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, roses, and geraniums. These are just some of the spring and summer vulnerables. Winter vulnerables include arborvitae, rhododendrons, azaleas, yews, and euonymus, to name a few.”

And even plant species labeled “deer-resistant” are now vulnerable. “Deer still come and eat even these plants,” Jeff says. “It’s not unusual to see suburban yards and nearby woods void of greenery from shoulder height to the ground—the deer grazing range.”

How To Protect Your Property
Homeowners who experience deer damage have often tried various methods of defending their expensive landscaping, including scented sprays at big box stores and homemade concoctions found on the internet, but few of them work and none work well.

But there is one effective option.

Jeff’s En Garde Deer Defense company is a deer deterrent spray service that prevents deer damage to your floral landscaping. He started the local company in partnership with a wildlife biologist from New Jersey Deer Control who developed a proprietary spray formula 25 years ago that actually works.

En Garde’s formula cannot be found online or in stores. Due to the nature of its ingredients, it cannot be stored on a shelf. “We mix our spray fresh every morning,” Jeff says. “It’s effective, weather-resistant, transparent and virtually odorless to humans.”

But the spray’s unique formula is only one reason for the effectiveness of Jeff’s service. The other is proper application.

Intense Training
En Garde’s spray technicians undergo highly comprehensive training, including an online test in which each tech must identify at a minimum 87 different species of plants and declare whether they are vulnerable to deer. New employees also undergo a 6+ week, hands-on, in-the-field apprenticeship program with a trained technician before being allowed to work alone. Training also includes a final test to achieve certification. “The test includes questions about plants, deer behavior, spraying techniques, and questions our clients may have,” Jeff says.

Get Started with a Free Trial
It doesn’t take long for deer to develop the habit of coming to your yard for the food source. “The sooner you get started, the better.” he says.

Jeff is so confident in his service he gives every homeowner a free trial. That means your first spray costs you nothing and there is no obligation to continue. That said, once customers see that the service really works, 7 out of 10 property owners sign up for the service. In fact, En Garde has 210+ Google reviews with a whopping five-star average rating.

Jeff’s crews can handle a limited number of free trials during the spring—the busiest part of the season—so it’s a good idea to schedule your own free trial as soon as possible. As Jeff likes to say, “The best time to use En Garde was last year; the second-best time is now.”

En Garde Deer Defense serves all of Northeast Ohio. To schedule your free trial, call 440-447-0022, or fill out a free trial form online at EGDeerDefense.com.