Re: Deer problems
- To: i*@rt66.com
- Subject: Re: Deer problems
- From: D* M* <d*@borg.com>
- Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 16:36:49 -0400
At 12:24 PM 7/2/96 -0600, Karen Richardson
> Any suggestions for keeping the deer away? I hate to use nets and
> cages over the plants; does anyone have any favorite repellents or
> other tricks?
I've gone around with these beautiful pests for years. In bad years the
destruction is as bad as you describe, and they even eat the irises.
Iris is unpalatable to them normally, so they must be extremely over
populated and hungry. Control is easier when they're less hungry.
You might try commercial repellent sprays. I gave up spraying right
away because the rain kept washing it off. Other things like scents
work for a little while (maybe a week). Tiger droppings showed promise -
worked for almost a month. I even tried feeding them. All that did was
make them come back more often and wander into my plantings. The only
certain control is with wire covers or a fence.
Of course you could always set up a cot in the garden. I thought about
doing that with a deer rifle for a while. It _is_ disheartening to watch
all that careful work get devastated.
Dennis Mathiasen
Zone 4b Central NY
