Hi Malinda and welome to GoY. Cutting the stem is not going to deter the deer the only thing you can actually do if you have a deer problem is erect deer fencing. Remember they can jump a good 6 foot.

if they have just left the stem then yes, cut the stem out.
as for deer deterrents I cant advise I'm afraid.

There is a product called 'Grazers' which is supposed to deter deer and rabbits from eating your plants. Have a look on their website and see what you think. It is sold by some of the major garden centres in the UK so I would imagine that it is also available in the US.

Yeah and it will stop the deer 'not' Jimmy the only thing that will keep deer out of your garden is a 6 foot high fence of some shape or form - sorry! We have friends who live in the SW of Scotland and this is what they have had to do.

We have muntjac deer too and they eat a lot of stuff, it's a question of experimenting and seeing what they like or don't like. I am experimenting at the mo with chilli powder, it is said to deter them, I have bought some pansies which they ADORE and sprinkled them with hot chili powder, so far so,good. Will try next with roses and cranesbill which I have been unable to keep up until now, as they devour those too. I have also heard that human hair (ugh) in muslin bags round the perimeter deters them too, it means getting a load from the local hairdresser. The muntjacs that I have cross a busy road from the woods, and use a pedestrian crossing too!

I've heard of Grazers and although I'm willing to believe the advertising I can't see how it works. It is a trace element spray, taken in by the leaves and therefore promotes growth but it was developed for commercial crops and, presumably, doesn't alter the flavour of the crops. The makers recommend that you spray a '24ft headland' around crops and point out that it doesn't protect crops against animals that are actually in the field.

Big fence, I think!

Yup a big fence Urbanite… it doesn't have to be the sort of fence the forestry commission use which is very visible, the one our friends have is over 6 foot high but you barely see it.