# Deer, salt, and gardens

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2007, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841 "2007-06-21T12:40:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841/1 "2007-06-21T12:40:00Z")

</div>

A friend of mine is not too clear on the details, but has heard that either regular salt (NaCl), or some particular type of salt, possibly containing magnesium, can help protect your garden from deer. I figure someone here would know. I have never heard of it before. Using salt licks seems a sure way to innundate your property with deer, and yet someone on the internet is selling some type of salt to protect your garden.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841/2 "2007-06-21T13:13:04Z")

</div>

I’ve never heard of such a thing. I can’t imagine it would ever work. Let this person try it and you can try a fence.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841/3 "2007-06-21T14:07:13Z")

</div>

Real salt will attract deer. That is what salt licks are for.

I have never heard of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfalte) used as a detractant, but it is bitter and nasty, so maybe.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841/4 "2007-06-21T15:29:29Z")

</div>

It also doesn’t migrate through the soil too much so once you reach a level toxic to plants, it’s hard to correct the condition.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deer-salt-and-gardens/408841/5 "2007-06-21T17:29:41Z")

</div>

The only chemical I’ve found that works is a nasty-smelling product called Liquid Fence.