- Squashes are one of those vegetables that deer usually stay away from, although there is no miracle cure for getting rid of deer. All types of squashes and many melons have prickly vines. When the deer attempt to eat these plants, the prickers on the vines poke them in the mouth. The deer do not like this and remember to stay away from those plants. Plant vining squash vegetables around your other vegetable plants to help keep deer away. Arrange the growing vines so they wrap around your tomato plants without choking them.
- Several herbs are plants that deer do not like. Many herbs have a very pungent odor, which makes the deer stay away. If you want to try this method, plant herbs with the strongest scents, such as rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, lavender and chives. Get the most out of your garden space, especially if it is small, by planting the herbs in pots and placing them around the outside of your garden. When you plant the herbs in pots, you can move them around so the deer do not get used to the scents. This also allows you to see if one herb is more deer-resistant than another.
- Pungent vegetables also work somewhat in keeping deer out of your garden. Onions, garlic and leeks all have a stronger odor than other vegetables, and the deer normally leave these alone. Again, plant them around the outer edge of your vegetable garden to form a barrier of sorts to keep the deer from entering and eating everything else.
- The green tops of potatoes are poisonous to deer. Because of this poison, deer will avoid potatoes. They are a resilient vegetable that will grow if they only have a pile of leaves. This makes it possible for you to save the area in your garden for other vegetable plants when you make a hedgerow of sorts around the perimeter of your garden out of the leaves where you can plant the potatoes. Make a pile of leaves approximately 8 inches deep all the way around the garden to deter the deer from coming any closer to your tomato plants.
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