Milorganite® is a slow-release, organic fertilizer produced from human sewage. Previous research conducted by UGA tested whether Milorganite®, as a repellent, provided ornamental plants and wildlife forage plants with temporary protection from over-browsing. The research revealed Milorganite® to be an effective deer repellent for agronomic and ornamental plants. Though the repellent does not eliminate deer damage, it reduces overall impact. Effectiveness of the repellent was highly dependent on weather, deer density, and resource availability. Extreme weather conditions coupled with high deer density and low resource availability may have reduced the efficacy of Milorganite® as a repellent.

Further research continues to investigate the efficacy of Milorganite and other repellents. Researchers hope to discover an ideal repellent that will provide plants with protection from over-browsing, be harmless to people and animals, be inexpensive, and be easy to apply to individual or larger plantings. The specific objectives of this study are to determine: 1) the effectiveness of Milorganite and other repellents as a temporary deer repellent when applied to established ornamental plants during the summer, and 2) the effectiveness of Milorganite and other repellents as a temporary deer repellent when applied immediately after planting an annual, warm season wildlife food plot.