Walk into any garden center in September and you'll find a wall of deer repellent sprays. Walk a little further and you'll find netting. Both claim to protect your plants. Both cost money. Only one of them actually works reliably through a Northeast winter.
Here's the honest comparison.
How Deer Spray Works
Deer repellent sprays work by making your plants smell or taste bad to deer — usually through putrescent egg solids, capsaicin (hot pepper), garlic oil, or predator urine compounds. When fresh, they can be genuinely effective at deterring deer from a new area.
The problems start after that.
Rain and snow wash them off. Most sprays need reapplication every 2–4 weeks under dry conditions — and after any significant rainfall or snowfall. In a wet November or a snowy January, you may need to reapply weekly.
Deer habituate. When food is scarce enough, deer will push through unpleasant smells to reach food they need. In the depths of winter, a hungry deer that's been browsing spray-treated plants for three weeks has largely stopped registering the deterrent.
They smell. Putrescent egg compounds are effective in part because they're genuinely foul. You'll notice it when you apply and for some time after.
How Deer Netting Works
Physical netting works on a completely different principle: it creates a barrier deer cannot get through, regardless of how hungry they are or how long they've been around it. There's nothing to habituate to, nothing to wash off, nothing to smell.
Deer-Terrent netting is made from 45-gram polypropylene with 3/4" mesh. It's light enough to conform to the natural shape of a shrub or arborvitae without weighing down branches, but strong enough that a deer can't bite or push through it.
Installation takes a few minutes per plant. The netting folds flat for storage and is reusable season after season — typically 5+ seasons of use from a single set of covers.
Side-by-Side Comparison
• Effectiveness in heavy snow winter: Spray = Low (washes off, hard to reapply) | Netting = High (physical barrier unaffected by weather)
• Labor per season: Spray = High (reapply every 2-4 weeks) | Netting = Low (install once in fall, remove in spring)
• Cost over 3 seasons: Spray = High (ongoing purchases) | Netting = Low (one-time purchase, reused each year)
• Works when deer are hungry: Spray = Unreliable | Netting = Yes
• Smell: Spray = Noticeable (egg-based) | Netting = None
• Effect on plant appearance: Spray = Minimal | Netting = Nearly invisible from street
When Spray Makes Sense
Spray isn't useless. It can be a good first line of defense in summer when deer pressure is lower and rain is more predictable. It works well on plants that are too large or awkwardly shaped for netting. But for arborvitae, established shrubs, and any plant you genuinely can't afford to lose — netting is the reliable choice.
The Bottom Line
If you've ever reapplied spray for three weeks straight and still lost foliage, you already know the answer. Physical protection that doesn't depend on weather, timing, or deer behavior is the only thing that works consistently.
Deer-Terrent covers are available in three sizes for shrubs, plus a dedicated arborvitae wrap, plus bulk landscaper rolls for hedgerows and large trees. Free shipping when ordering more than one product.
Shop All Deer-Terrent Products → /collections/deer-repellent-products