The liquid soap is the serficate (sp) or wetting agent which helps the solution stick to the leaves. I believe it is important to use a very mild soap. I used my own very similar mix for many years. Made a suntea after blending and before straining. I use Ivory dish soap. It is VERY important to spray after sun down or early morning to allow this spray to dry prior to full sun hitting the plant you may burn the foliage. It works very well and must be reapplied after rain.(If we get any) It will affect the taste of your leafy crops so timing and washing is also important.

Blood Meal is as mentioned a excellent slow release N. fert. Please everyone use a mask when working with any powder natural or synthetic. I worked it into the soil and watered it must be applied every six weeks or so. And does deter deer and rabbits etc. but may attract other digging animal.

I waged this battle many years. The only true source of peace came when I built a 10 ft fence around my crops. Oh momma not easy or cheap. But I was a Market Grower and could not afford more loses than what is already a very bad gambling habit.

I hope this helps and only encourages you to keep reaching for those books and each others help.

mtnhayes

Indeed, the soap is a surfactant. Essentially a surfactant allows the mixing of water with oils/grease by reducing the surface tension of water. In most of these repellant recipes, I don't see where that's the objective. It could be used as a wetting agent when the liquid comes in contact with leaves - again due to the lower surface tension of water - which allows the repellant to spread more evenly on the leaves instead of beading. However, in most cases I think the main purpose of the soap is the deer simply don't like the smell or taste.

By the way, surfactants are generally no problem for plants (except on leaves) and actually act as mild fertilizers. However, too much can cause changes in soil pH and this could become a factor with some of your pH sensitive plants. Obviously, if you spray this ON the plants I would wash the edible parts thoroughly before eating.

Right! Surfactant. Thank you mtree for the clarification and defenition. I do think it is the magnification of the sun through the wet liquid which will burn the leaves making it harmful to the plants. The smell and taste of the puteride eggs and garlic and HOT peppers are the add deterants along with the soap and milk used as a homemade spreader sticker in the spray or suntea so it stays on the leaf.

I can't wait to taste home growen again!

It's been a week now since I made the concoction and the deer have not been in my gardens since I sprayed the stuff. I have seen them walk by and near my rock gardens but have not seen anything eaten.

The test continues....

What about Chipmunks? My wife has gorgeous flowerbeds on our deck, the deer can't get to them. The chipmunks come up and bite off the stems with the blooms before we get to enjoy them. They also stripped a tomato plant I left out for an afternoon - stole every last leaf.

Well, dmcdd, I do have a solution for chipmunks. It ain't pretty (well, not pretty but let's say not tasteful) but it works. Last year was the first year the chipmunks did not devastate my flowers. I admit my solution is not for everybody.

I spray my ornamental gardens with male urine. My husband calls it "Garden Gold". He saves his urine for me daily. It has to be from a man, a woman's does not work. We just don't have the "right" hormones.

I initially thought this was hogwash but I looked it up on the internet and, sure enough, there's references to this method.

And no, my garden does not smell like an outhouse nor can you see it. I just put a fine spray on the plants. If I didn't tell you what I do, you would never know.

And I do not do this on my vegetable garden. I fence that and use aluminum foil to keep the critters out.

Maybe I'll try it and not tell her. It's gotta be sprayed on the plants and not just in the soil?

Yes, on the plants. Stealth always works.

she'll be impressed with how often you go out there just to check on things!

Gives new meaning to "pissin in the wind"

the visual is just cracking me up...

I can't find any verifiable scientific studies that have found human urine to be an effective deer repellent. Plenty that state otherwise. I also can't see any correlation to support male vs. female urine as a repellent. Like a deer would know? Applying anything that makes food taste bad to a deer would probably work.

However, plenty of studies suggest - I say SUGGEST - the use of typical deer predator urine (not humans) is somewhat effective. Of course, its tough to get a cougar to pee in a cup. Most cougars, anyway.

Not to say that urine won't deter some deer and may work with direct application. Hey, my salad would taste rather odd if someone urinated on it...I think anyway? I probably wouldn't eat it. I'd order the soup instead. Deer would probably do the same.

The old wives tale of using male urine to cleanse the sting of a jellyfish is also bunk. The only science to support this tale is that urine is essentially sterile within the human boday and would therefore be an effective means of sterilizing the wound. The use of male urine only makes sense in that it is likely to remain sterile upon direct application. Female urine - once it leaves the body - has a much better chance of becoming nonsterile as it leaves the body simply due to anatomy.

So, feel free to pee on your plants. If it works, great! If not, try soap.