The other method of deterring deer from devouring your plants is to use repellents with offensive tastes and smells. Many studies attest to the effectiveness of repellents. A common example is putrescent whole-egg solids -- the main ingredient of many commercial and homemade repellents for use against deer and other animals. Such repellents may also include mint, garlic, clove oil and capsaicin (the heat from hot peppers).

They are effective, yet their smell is not unpleasant to most humans. But as with any topical application, the fact that it's exposed to the elements means that reapplication is necessary for it to remain effective. Be sure to read the product label for application rates and intervals.

Beyond these most common control methods, decoy plants placed around your property can serve as a way to distract deer to a tasteful but less valuable plant. Yet above all, it should be noted that even the most effective repellents and scare tactics or the most unappetizing plants will not stop deer if they are hungry enough.

Stay proactive and use multiple strategies that incorporate a combination of physical exclusion, scare tactics and repellents that are offensive in taste and smell. And if you'd like to actually see what I saw when that deer walked through my back yard, it's on video. You can view it from my blog at www.joegardener.com/blog or find it as episode 10 on YouTube at www.youtube.com/joegardenerTV.

(Joe Lamp'l, host of "GardenSMART" on PBS, is a Master Gardener and author. For more information visit www.joegardener.com. For more stories, visit scrippsnews.com.)