I just finished spraying deer and rabbit repellent on new growth. I don't know if any deer or rabbits are even there anymore. I haven't seen any in quite a while. I don't know whether a plant is protected by the smell lingering on the earlier growth or whether the new growth needs to be covered.
I ended up with my hand smelling of it, which never happened before, even though I think I didn't spill any. A few washings with soap only toned it down. Fortunately it isn't even a bad smell (the overwhelming clove variety). Just psychologically the fact that I can smell it is annoying.
The deer were there frequently a year ago, but not recently. I never saw more than one rabbit at once but by general logic and amount of damage assumed it is never just one. All last summer, any time I came to the front yard through the front door or around either side of the house, I heard (occasionally saw) the rabbit bolt for cover under the giant Rhododendron. Weeks ago, the rabbit was much less skittish. One of the last times I saw it (long after I had soaked everything I thought it ate in repellent) it continued calmly eating something I never identified (and hadn't sprayed) when I came out. Recently I haven't seen or heard it. Maybe it was getting desperate for food after the repellent worked on its favorite items and/or the path between most places and the rhododendrons crosses the full line of sprayed Hostas that I haven't even see it cross much less eat. Hopefully such measures made the whole yard too uncomfortable and it finally moved away.
