Re: deer problems....

Deer...rabbits with hooves!

Actually I have an easier time controling deer than rabbits.  But, I don't
think that they can be distracted.  If looks tasty they'll eat it. Then
they'll move on the the lure plant.

I control them by making the garden uncomfortable for them in as many ways
as possible.  I found that you can't depend on any single method.

First, I hang soap shavings bundled in cheese cloth from fruit trees and
rose bushes. Use cheap soap--the smellier the better.  Every 4 to 6 weeks
during the growing season, loosen the string around the tree branch.

Second, I place pieces of chicken wire near the more popular plants. i.e.
roses, daylilies, spring blooming bulbs, cransebill, etc.  I discovered,
quite by accident, that deer don't like walking on this stuff. I think
their hooves get tangled in it.  Unfortunately, I don't like walking on it
either.  Don't forget to remove it before mowing the lawn.

I also use an animal repellent but I've had better results with the
mechanical methods.

Even using these methods, I still have some damage but the local herd has
over 20 animals in it so I'm not doing too badly.

Finally, in the fall we set up large chicken wire frames around our apple
trees to protect them from bucks rubbing their antlers.

The Deer Control in the Garden  (
http://www.borg.com/~dennis/deer/deer.html ) web site has lists of plants
that deer like and don't like.  

Something else that I've noticed last year was that deer don't seem to like
to come near the house.  They nibbled some daylilies I planted about 30
feet away (They only took 2 days to find them) but have never touched the
ones right next to the deck that have been there for 2 years.  That may be
a way to protect prize specimens.  

Leslie
Zone 3

At 11:02 AM 1999/04/19 -0400, Kimberly Swingle wrote:
>
>My mother-in-law is having white-tailed deer problems....basically they
>eat everything!  She was wondering if there is something other than Cleome
>that they are distracted by that would grow in Zone 5, Pennsylvania-
>northeast.  Thanks!  Kim

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index