Re: deer - some observations from long experience

Man I have to reply to these - deer I am so glad us in Kiwiland dont have 
any of these problems, even armadillos!!!! that made me laugh, no snakes
just rotten old possom easily fixed with a flashlight and blow em away or 
own a foxy dog.  The biggest problems here I would have are mildew as 
terrible humidity at the moment, slugs, snails and when the dogs want
to bury the bone!! As for ice storms - well what can I say how terrible, I
think
I would cry if my garden was covered in ice like that.  At least one
benefit of
the hot El Nino here is a fantastic 98 wine harvest so look out for the
Kiwi
98 releases as nice and hot.
Lara
Ngaruawahia
NZ

----------
> From: Marge Talt <mtalt@clark.net>
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: Re: deer - some observations from long experience
> Date: Friday, 23 January 1998 09:01
> 
> Well, I've been having a running battle with Bambi for the past five or
six
> years.  Have a resident herd of up to twelve and here's what I've learned
> so far, FWIW:
> 
> *  Deer will eat *anything* if they are hungry enough....there are NO
deer
> resistant plants that work for every herd of deer in every location. 
Even
> if they decide they don't like it, it may be hard on the plant as they
> nibble to find out.  They will also eat different things in different
> years...something that was safe for years may turn out to be caviar to a
> new herd member.  Deer love rose leaves and buds -- after the wild roses
in
> my woods start to leaf out, the deer stop harassing my garden as much; 
> deer used to eat all my prickly squash leaves;  deer eat things with
thorns
> all the time.  They are less fond of highly scented herbs than other
> plants, but I have heard tell of them eating Lavender.  Herbs high in
> essential oils are not at the top of their lists of preferred plants,
> though.  My herd likes basil and even tomato leaves.  They love yew,
> although it is poisonous, even to them; but being browsers, apparently
they
> don't eat enough at any one time to do them in.
> 
> *  Having dogs just patrol and mark the perimeter of a property does not
> deter deer.  I have 2 golden retrievers that to that every day...deer
could
> care less, they know those dogs don't go out without a leash.
> 
> * Having dogs who do not run loose does not deter deer.  They soon learn
> that the dogs can't really get them.
> 
> *  Soap and hair will not deter a determined and hungry deer for long --
> maybe once, but they get used to it and if they are hungry, they will eat
> anyway.
> 
> *  Blood and bone meal do not deter deer;  they attract carnivores who
are
> absolutely certain that, if they dig down far enough, they will find the
> dead whatever that's putting out that delicious smell....not good for
> plants.
> 
> *  Bird netting will keep them off of things with large leaves like hosta
> and even other plants if you can rig it so the plants don't grow through
it
> (creating one helluva mess extricating the plants...talk about tedious)
AND
> you can figure out how to keep them from nosing under it or learning they
> can break through it.  It worked for me for a few years until mine
figured
> out it wasn't going to hurt them and that they were stronger than it
was.. 
> I am really glad to give up on this because it also traps small creatures
> and I've lost 2 or 3 lovely blacksnakes to getting entwined in the mesh
> when I didn't notice.  I still feel badly about this...would not harm
them
> for the world.
> 
> *  Electric fencing will work;  the downside is that it's not really
> practical in a heavily wooded site; it's not cheap and there are other
> problems, both of safety and aesthetics.  Would think it a good answer
for
> a vegetable garden on an open site, but not an ornamental one.  I
> understand from other posts on other lists that you need to put out
tinfoil
> wrapped around the wires, smeared with peanut butter - every year to
teach
> the new youngsters that the fence bites.
> 
> *  Deer can jump 8' with absolutely no problem and I've seen them sail
over
> 10' without noticeable effort.  
> 
> * Any fence they can see through, they will jump IF they figure they have
a
> clear landing space.  If you want to keep them out, you need to put two
> "see through" fences about 4 or 5 feet apart, creating a narrow run that
> they will be afraid they will get caught in.  Someone on Gardens-L (can't
> remember who) said they had good luck with one fence backed by raised
beds
> that created a situation the deer weren't sure they could jump because
they
> couldn't see a clear landing spot.
> 
> * I *think* but cannot absolutely verify that they will not jump a fence
> they can't see through.  I have a partial fence - solid board, 6' high
> around what used to be my veggie patch and they walk past it but have
never
> jumped it.
> 
> *  I have had success with Milorganite (sewage sludge granular
fertilizer,
> low in nutrients) for a couple of years.  Knock on wood.  Others have and
> others haven't, but if you can get it, it is worth a try.   I fling this
> about liberally every 2 to 4 weeks depending on the amount of rain we've
> gotten. Plants don't seem to mind it either.
> 
> *  Deer do not like rotten egg concoctions.  Diane's recipe should work
> because it is basically what's in several of the very expensive
commercial
> sprays.  These sprays do work, but must be re-applied after every rain
> (I've tried all of them)....and the deer will have a nice time if you run
> into a really rainy patch of several days in a row.
> 
> *  I'm trying a new one this year and so far it's working (again knock on
> wood).  I've gotten a *lot* of heavy green plastic diamond mesh fence
just
> like that orange stuff used around construction sites and light duty
metal
> fence posts and have surrounded my yews and azaleas with this for the
> winter..  A lot of work (and not very decorative - NGP says it looks like
a
> concentration camp), but, with the addition of bamboo poles laced to top
> and bottom, it seems to be keeping the lil' darlings off my yews and
> azaleas.  Time will tell.  Right expensive in the quantity I've had to
get
> and a royal pain to erect...and I'm sure another in the offing to take it
> down.
> 
> I have heard tell of this miracle product called "This 1 Works" and
> apparently available in Ohio.  It is supposed to contain that bitter
stuff
> used to discourage kids from sucking their thumbs.  But, since I've never
> been able to a) find it around here or b) find out who makes it, it may
> only be a mirage.  If anyone has used it or knows who manufactures it,
I'd
> sure like to know.
> 
> One thing Bambi does is keep the gardener on his or her toes trying to
> outwit them.
> 
> Best of luck to all you Bambi ridden gardeners out there and my sincerest
> sympathy....I *know* what you're going through.
> 
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@clark.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
> http://www.suite101.com/frontpage/frontpage.cfm?topicID=222
> Gardening Topic Index for Suite101:
> http://www.suite101.com/userfiles/79/gardening.html
>  
> 
> 
> ----------
> > From: Jackie Bell <jbell@gwi.net>
> > To: perennials@mallorn.com
> > Subject: Re: deer
> > Date: Sunday, January 18, 1998 4:09 PM
> > 
> > mark wrote:
> > 
> >  > Dear Rita,
> > > I agree with a lot of what Jackie says. Tulips and hosta cannot
> possibly
> > > be deer resistant. I have ben experimenting for some time with der
> > > resistant plants as we have a great deal of deer out my way,
especially
> > > near the wooded state parks. I have found that mant things that
> > > nurseries have claimed to be deer resistant were not. They ate all
the
> > > green off the Rosa ragosa, not just the buds, and they have eaten the
> > > barberry. They do leave the grasses and many ferns alone. They have
> even
> > > gone after Rhododendron varieties, but not yet the maximus. Chris'
list
> > > of perennials is not in my experience accurate, but i have yet to see
> > > one that is. I have tried many sprays with mixed results. After a
> strong
> > > rain the sprays seem to wash off. I believe where practical to use
> > > fencing, but during rutting season the bucks can plow their way
through
> > > heavy duty fences. Also the large ones can jump 8' fencing.
> > > 
> > 
> > Mark:   Your deer ate barberry!!!!!  and the leaves from ragosa
> > roses!!!!!   Now I'm depressed....  I thought those were a few shrubs
> > that were absolutely deer resistant.  They have never touched mine, but
> > it's frustrating to know that they might.  
> > 
> > BTW, what zone are you in?
> > 
> > Jackie Bell
> > Great Diamond Island
> > Portlant, Maine  zone 4-5
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