Hungry deer are making up for lost food they couldn't find in the deep winter snow. Your gardens are now all-you-can-eat buffets.

Here's a look at common tips and techniques to limit or prevent carnage in the garden. Some work well, others are a waste of time and money.

Frightening with flashing strips, water jets, or propane "cannon" shots

• Cost: Social cost is high - it will definitely diminish neighbor relations.

• Use: May be useful in rural areas. But if you have neighbors, loud cannon shots followed by streams of water with strobe lights is sure to stir up a mob.

• Success rate: Poor. Once the deer have become comfortable in the area, trying to scare them off is difficult. They quickly get used to lights, flashing metal, or noise, and disregard it as bad feng shui.

Human hair, bars of soap

• Cost: Hair - free; soap - around $1

• Use: Hanging clumps of hair and bars of soap around the garden gives off odors that deer don't like. I'm not sure if the voodoo look is popular this year, but at least it doesn't require sound effects.

• Success rate: Poor. Hair and soap are helpful in keeping deer away at first, but they swiftly learn to ignore the smell. Hair needs to be replaced often, and the bald look doesn't work for everyone.

Dogs

• Cost: Variable, depending on breed.

• Use: Frightening deer with noise and smell.

• Success rate: Good. Dogs can be very helpful in keeping deer out, especially if they are brave enough to challenge them at the edge of the property. Not all dogs have this personality, and they need to be big enough for deer to take seriously. Yorkshire terriers may not do the trick.

Repellants

• Cost: $27.99 per gallon

• Use: Repellants, such as Liquid Fence and are found at most garden centers. They work in two ways, with either a bad taste (hot pepper solution) or smell (rotten egg or big-cat urine). Spray on plants and reapply after rain.

• Success rate: Good to very good. "Products sold in Colorado have to prove they work, or they don't get approved for sale here," says Dr. Sandra MacDonald, pesticide education program professor at Colorado State University.

Fencing

• Cost: Varies

• Use: Fences 8 feet tall or higher will generally keep out deer. It may be better to fence the perimeter instead of individual plants, otherwise the landscape takes on a caged in look.

• Success rate: Very good.

Plants that deer don't eat

• Cost: variable.

• Use: Some plants are poisonous, such as daffodils or irises, and deer avoid them. Others, which smell medicinal or garlicky, are left alone. Generally, deer select food based on smell, and avoid plants with strong odors.

• Success rate: Good. Some garden centers and Cooperative Extension have lists of plants deer pass up. But any list should come with a dose of reality. Deer will eat most plants if they are hungry.

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