Black-eyed Susans offer a handsome alternative to daylilies. Coneflowers (Echinacea) or maybe coreopsis (tickseed) are also not deer favorites. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call )

We often see small groups of deer sampling our garden. Since we don’t have fencing or a dog, we must resort to resistant plants or deer repellents. Our first option, selecting plants that are not at the top of the deer menu, yields limited results since we tend to like the same plants the deer do.

Some plants are, quite justifiably, nicknamed deer candy, and even more frustrating, the deer candy in my yard may not match the favorites of your local deer population.

Some plants, however, are almost universally, eaten by deer:

Hostas: Lovely leafy plants, no-fuss shade favorites, and deer lettuce. Recognize that the ones with waxier leaves are slightly less dining favorites. Beds away from protective tree cover are most vulnerable to munching. While deterrent formulations can reduce damage, they are work-intensive — needing multiple reapplications and can be expensive.

Suggested alternatives include ferns, coral bells (Heuchera), foamflower (Tiarella), foamy bells (Heucherella), wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

Daylilies: Beautiful and easy to grow but also a deer favorite. I have found that my daylilies that survive are usually located on a steep incline. It is a difficult spot to garden but evidently an equally difficult location for browsing.

Daylilies located near the house also have a better, but not really good, chance of survival. Alternatives include black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta), coneflowers (Echinacea) or maybe coreopsis (tickseed). I like bee balm (Monarda). The fragrant and spicy plants and flowers often deter deers.

Arborvitae: The shorn lollipop shape of many arborvitaes in the area illustrate their potential to have a place on the deer menu. We planted Green Giant arborvitae, rumored to have some resistance, years ago and for a time, they were fine. However, they too were eaten a few years ago.

Alternatives include false cypress (Chamaecyparis) or tall junipers (Junipers sp.).

Roses: Hardy stems and thorns would seem to make roses a poor dinner choice, but not to deer. Again, you can use the usual deterrents or consider other options.

Alternatives include Weigelia, abeia, butterfly bush, but only the noninvasive, sterile hybrids, and rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). There are plenty of deer-resistant plants available but remember that resistance is not deer-proof and no plant can truly claim total protection from hungry deer.

Catasauqua Garden Club: Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to noon. The sale will be in front of Melvin’s Farm Stand (327 Front St., Catasauqua, PA). There will be heirloom tomatoes, house plants, annuals, perennials, and succulents. Penn State University (PSU) soil test kits will also be available.

Monocacy Farm Project: Second Annual Spring on the Farm May 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. located at 395 Bridle Path Rd., Bethlehem. The event will include a variety of plants for sale direct from our greenhouse, local vendors on-site, tours of the farm, questions answered by our farmers, along with Dahlias and Canna Lilies for sale from local farmers. Admission is free and all proceeds benefit The Monocacy Farm Project.

See facebook.com/events/334512321738376 or MonocacyFarmProject.org for more information.

Allentown Garden Club: Annual Plant Sale May 14, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Emmaus Moravian Church (146 Main St., Emmaus) at the rear of the church in the pavilion. The sale benefits the Allentown Garden Club scholarship fund. The Emmaus Moravian Church is also hosting a Spring Craft Show that day with crafters and vendors, homemade food, and children’s activities.

This week is a major event in our gardening schedule. While it is still too early to plant tomatoes, it is a good time to purchase transplants. On Tuesday, Fran and our neighbor Jack made their annual pilgrimage to the garden center. And selected this year’s varieties. They got a good selection but, of course, forgot the only one I requested, a paste tomato.

Jack plants the tomatoes in his yard because he has rich amended soil and, more importantly, a high fence around the patch. Jack will harden off the plants just in time to meet the official last frost date, planting the tomatoes around May 15.

Sue Kittek is a freelance garden columnist, writer, and lecturer. Send questions to Garden Keeper at grdnkpr@gmail.com or mail: Garden Keeper, The Morning Call, PO Box 1260, Allentown, PA 18105.

Planting: Start sequential sowing of crops like beans, radishes, lettuce, and spinach to create a longer harvest season. Set out tomatoes when the weather warms to at least 50°F at night. Wait a few weeks before setting out basil, eggplant or pepper transplants. Start seed for salsify, eggplant, summer squash and winter squash. Direct sow snap, bush and pole beans, cantaloupe, melons, cucumbers, rhubarb, summer and winter squash. Continue sewing celeric, celery, cabbage, carrots, collards, bunching onions, onion sets, parsnips, and Swiss chard. Plant or pot up summer bulbs and tubers such as dahlias, cannas, calla lilies, and caladiums. Plant bare root trees and shrubs. Make sure the soil is dry enough to work. Don’t dig or plant in the mud. Buy annuals for containers, annual garden beds and to fill in bare spots in perennial or shrub beds.

Seasonal: As the weather warms, ease out your plants that wintered over inside. Start with an hour or so on a warm day and increase outdoor time until the nights are regularly in the 50°F range before leaving them out for the season. Visit nurseries as they open for inspiration as well as new plants. Shop for summer bulbs as well. Apply a top dressing of compost to lawns and beds. Test soil for new beds, Retest soil in poorly performing areas or those that haven’t been tested in the last 3-5 years. Cut back ornamental grasses. Divide when you see new green growth. Divide hostas and daylilies. Prune and divide perennials that bloom in late summer or fall. Prune back and clear out dead, diseased or unattractive stems from perennials and shrubs, but not those that flower in the spring. Please check proper pruning information for each plant and prune as needed and recommended. Apply spring and summer mulch, two to three inches deep and placed a few inches away from foundations, tree trunks and other plants. Fluff mulch and add more if necessary. Apply corn gluten-based weed control in the garden and establish a schedule for reapplication, usually at four to six-week intervals

Lawn: By mid-May, dethatch, seed or overseed lawns. Apply broadleaf weed control and complete sod projects. By mid-June: Apply spring fertilizer treatments. Apply preemergent crabgrass control in the next few weeks. Fill in holes and low spots in lawn.

Chores: Water any recent plantings anytime we experience a week with less than an inch of rain. Fix damaged screens and garden hoses. Note damaged caulking around doors and windows. Dump standing water and remove anything that may collect rainwater to help control mosquito populations. Provide deer, rabbit and groundhog protection for vulnerable plants. Reapply taste or scent deterrents. Clean and fill bird feeders regularly. Clean up spilled seed and empty hulls. Dump, scrub and refill birdbaths at least once a week. Consider setting out nesting materials if you have them. Clear gutters and direct rainwater runoff away from house foundations.

Tools, equipment, and supplies: Store winter equipment and replace or repair as needed. Check spring/summer equipment — repair or replace damaged or worn out tools. Check power tools and mowers and send for service if needed.

Safety: Clear lawns of debris before mowing and make sure pets, children and others are well away from the area being mown. Store garden chemicals indoors away from pets and children. Discard outdated ones at local chemical collection events. Photograph storm damage before clearing or repairing for insurance claims and file promptly. Anytime you are outside and the temperatures are about 50°F or warmer watch for tick bites. Use an insect repellent containing Deet on the skin. Apply a permethrin product to clothing. Wear light-colored clothing, long sleeves, hats and long pants when working in the garden. Stay hydrated. Drink water or other non-caffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages. Even in cold weather, apply sunscreen, wear hats and limit exposure to sun. Wear closed-toe shoes and gloves; use eye protection; and use ear protection when using any loud power tools.