We have many many deer in my neck of the woods and for years all I do is spray some Malithon(insectiside) around, not on the plants,on the groung and surronding area. It has a strong chemical smell and has always worked for me. I start when I first transplant my seedlings outside and continue until I see buds. I think the deer in the spring have many sourses of tender young sprouts and if yours smell horriable from the start they sort of train themselves to avoid that area. Would you eat in a restrant that smelled bad?It needs to be re-freshioned after every rain.Never had a deer problem since I started doing this.