I’ve tried about everything having grown roses and daylilies, both of which they love. They get used to anything after a while, but what I’ve had the best results with as a spray is BOBBEX. It has a smell AND taste deterrent, so is very effective. It lasts a couple of months when applied to plants and ground around. I’ve used it for 2 years so far, and they’ve not gotten used to it. I think the taste repellent is the secret as other products are smell only. I use it for hydrangeas, hostas and daylilies. At the time I had roses (before BOBBEX), I ended up using a low voltage electric fence with 3 wires. 4’, 3’ and 6” (for rabbits). But even then, I had to put scent caps with cotton balls soaked in an apple scent on the top wire. They would lick the scent cap and get a reasonable shock and run off usually not to return. Without the scent caps they are too well grounded with tiny hooves and thick hides for it to get their attention.
Regarding ticks: okay, this is where you will certainly think I’m weird, but so be it, you asked…. Having survived (and gotten well) from neurologic Lyme with treatment over a four year period from 2000-2004 (IV antibiotics for almost 2 of those), both my husband and I are real serious about ticks. Yes longer treatment works despite what CDC says, as I failed 90 days of IV antibiotics the first time. It knocked it down, but two months later it was back in fury. The only repellent I can recommend is REPEL WITH Permethrin. Get it online and get the REPEL with the highest concentration of Permethrin you can find. Permethrin also kills them, as well as repelling them. However, this CANNOT be applied to skin! Spray boots/shoes and pants legs to knees or so. It lasts for two weeks on clothes and gear. They make kids clothes impregnated with it, that last through over 50 washings. Clothes are pricey, but some think it worth it. We also have a mosquito service that sprays our yard and grass with a product that kills ticks every 3 weeks. So no mosquitos, no ticks. But, my husband uses REPEL on golf course because he is a magnet for ticks. Oh, this is the weird part…. it’s wise to wear light colored clothes (easier to see them) and remove your clothes in the garage, put them in a muslin laundry bag and throw them in the dryer on high for 30 minutes (if you’ve been in high risk tick areas). This kills any that might be on your clothes, unnoticed, so you don’t bring them into the house. Washing first does not help, as they can survive and crawl back up the drain. Heat desicates them, very effective!! And, it does not shrink your clothes, as they are not wet? Then wash as usual and dry. I learned this after finding one in our laundry basket!! Evil little creatures…. And check your entire self every day by feel. Your hands can feel what your eyes can’t see!!! If you find an engorged tick, grip tightly with a fine point tweezer and pull it straight out. Do not twist or apply anything to the tick (that increases the chance of infection as they regurgitate into the wound when stressed). Cleans the bite site and your hands after you save it in a zip lock baggy (no alcohol or anything in the bag,) date the bag. If you are in the US you can send the tick to be tested with results in 48 hrs at
www.tickcheck.com so if it’s carrying something, you can be treated right away. It is so important to get treatment early before it disseminates and goes dormant, only to emerge in 3-5 years (when you won’t even remember being bitten so won’t relate your symptoms) and be much harder to treat. Lyme is the same type of bacterium as syphilis. They are spirochetes. So, symptoms follow similar paths if long term. Very dangerous, and ticks carry about 20 other diseases, virus and parasites that can infect you as well. They also carry an enzyme (alpha gal) that makes humans allergic to all mammalian meat. So that leaves you able to eat chicken, fish and tofu!!. It’s happened to 3 of my neighbors!?