Re: H. serrata, now deer

In a message dated 6/11/03 12:03:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time, cathy carpenter 
<cathyc@rnet.com writes:

> It is time to get hints from you who are battling them - on deer 
> deterrents and plants unappetizing to those beasts. I am about to go 
> into serious depression. Each night they destroy my shady area a bit 
> more...in a week, I will have nothing left. A deer fence is not an 
> option because they would simply go around it from my neighbor's 
> property. (and I have 2.5 acres.
> Cathy

Hi Cathy- Bobbex works great for me. It's a bit pricey, but not when you 
consider the cost of the damage the deer do. I buy it at local nursery, a 32 oz. 
container that gets diluted 1 to 8, and spray every 2 weeks, so one bottle 
lasts me just about one whole season. This year I bought Bobbex-R, for $2.00 more, 
since I have sustained some severe woodchuck damage as well. (The "R" means 
it's supposed to repel rodents, too.) My cousin uses the egg/hot pepper 
homemade brew, and claims good luck, but that has to be applied very often, 
especially if it rains. (Anyone live where it isn't raining this year?!) Usually early 
in the season I'll find a few leaves of some coveted plants chomped off and 
"spit out", a good indication that the deer have not found the taste to their 
liking! Really, I think the $28 cost for a season's protection is well worth the 
investment. The directions say it can be used in winter as well, to protect 
many of the evergreens they devour. I'm going to be trying it next winter for 
the first time, and hope my Rhodies and hollies don't get denuded again. Winter 
directions call for a stronger dilution, but much less frequent applications.

Maddy Mason
Hudson Valley, NY  zone 5/6

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