Deterring Deer
This morning’s article was on a subject that frustrates many gardeners: how to keep deer out of your garden and landscaping. I like viewing deer, but I want my hostas too.
This subject is a two-parter, with this morning’s article discussing plant choice and garden design as methods of deterring deer. The next article in two weeks will discuss fencing and commercial deer deterrents.
I’d love to hear what methods have worked for you, although let’s avoid the “lead poisoning” option, since deer are protected under the law as a game species and it’s illegal to shoot deer except during a legally sanctioned hunt or through special permit.
What less drastic measures have worked for you?
August 25, 2012 - 7:53 AM
Over the past several years, I have done numerous things to keep the deer, groundhogs & rabbits out of my gardens. This year has been the worst year for animals yet. Perhaps everyone around me has given up trying to grow things and my garden is a hot spot for food. I put a fence around my garden several years back, but the deer jump the fence and the rabbits find a way under or through it.
I used the repellant sprays and they were semi effective, but required regular applications and are expensive. This year, they did not deter the animals at all. I all but gave up on my vegetable garden after the bad storm earlier this year broke most of my tomatoes and the deer were eating everything else.
I have a pumpkin patch (all heirloom) and hoped that I could salvage them, but the groundhogs must not mind the prickly vines as the would clean the leaves off as soon as they got growing good. I researched solutions on line and finally found the thing to eliminate the problem. I ordered a motion activated sprinkler (Havahart), installed it and have not had a single problem since then! The great thing about it is that it does not harm animals, it just scares them away!
None.
So as to not hi-jack your thread KH, I’ll save this post on seed saving til you put one up if you are so minded. Thanks.