MUMS AND DEER

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

Today's the day! In the Southeast, our weather has been changing from highs in 70s to highs in 50's...nights no lower than 40. I'm throwing caution to the wind & planting my mums in pots. The pots are on my covered front porch for 2 reasons: protection in case a cold night sneaks up on me and our uncontrolled deer population. My hostas were eaten years ago and after replacing them only to have the deer make dinner of them again, I gave up. The same with any bulbs. As soon as the tips of green poke through the ground...gone. We're in a neighborhood where houses are fairly close together and in the city limits. The deer come out of the woods on 2 nearby wooded lots that haven't been built on yet. We've tried almost everything to control the deer & protect our gardens...along w/ our neighbors. Anyone have an idea that has worked for you?

Stevie Nix · ‎03-09-2010

I buy deer and rabbit repellent at my local Lowes. You have to be diligent and reapply after rain or every 2 weeks or so. It works as long as you keep reapplying.

Posh Poodle · ‎06-27-2011

@Shanus wrote:
Today's the day! In the Southeast, our weather has been changing from highs in 70s to highs in 50's...nights no lower than 40. I'm throwing caution to the wind & planting my mums in pots. The pots are on my covered front porch for 2 reasons: protection in case a cold night sneaks up on me and our uncontrolled deer population. My hostas were eaten years ago and after replacing them only to have the deer make dinner of them again, I gave up. The same with any bulbs. As soon as the tips of green poke through the ground...gone. We're in a neighborhood where houses are fairly close together and in the city limits. The deer come out of the woods on 2 nearby wooded lots that haven't been built on yet. We've tried almost everything to control the deer & protect our gardens...along w/ our neighbors. Anyone have an idea that has worked for you?

Have you tried marigolds? A row of marigolds strategically placed does the trick for my husband's aunt who lives on a large lot with lots of deer in Virginia. Unfortunately, they won't help during the winter months. But it's an idea for spring/summer/early fall.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

Liquid Fence is effective on deer and rabbits. I live in PA so only have to worry about plants being eaten for five or six months. I'd be discouraged however if it was a year-round problem.

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@Posh Poodle Yes, thanks for your suggestions. Mums and geraniums in a border keep the deer away, but you're right. In the colder months they aren't much help.

Abrowneyegirl · ‎03-15-2010

We are in the same situation- we live in a new neighborhood (that used to be a farm) and the deer come from near-by woods to feed on our landscaping. We assume they came to the farm to eat the crops for decades.

Our hostas became a salad bar. We had trees killed from the buck rubbing the bark off them.

We have tried Liquid Fence and all kinds of deer repellent sprays from the Ag stores. They only work when there is other things to eat.

The only thing that has worked come winter is deer fencing and netting. (((groan)))

We only plant daffodils as they poisonious to deer (and other animals) no more tulips for me.

jlkz · ‎12-02-2013

Squirrels love daffodil bulbs: after eating them they will run around in circles as though they are " drugged ". This also happens with tulip bulbs....don't know what the chemical is, but it drives them crazy for a while.

Up in the mountains we have been lucky ( usually ) with iris flowers and sedum. The stalks of the flowers really don't appear until other food is available to the deer.

As for the sedum, they will nibble but the plant just keeps on putting up new growth. In time, the deer have so much other food sources, they ignore the sedum.

HTH

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

Dazlin · ‎03-14-2010

I had the same problem in another house I used to live in. Planted a garden of annuals and placed a little waterfall in the center. Next morning...chomp chomp chomp. I tried red pepper and spraying with some hot sauces...no help. Now I live in an agricultural area and own a small farm. Although the deer stay away from house, I've had critter problems in the barn or coops. The only thing that kept unwanted guests away has been mothballs, or even those toilet bowl deodorizers. The deer or animals won't eat them...it's the scent that deters them...and they stay away. Ive used oils, peppermint oil also. I'd say, it's worth a try. Sadly, I had to sell my chickens and ducks due to health problems ...still have my horses☺. I still place oils around my barn when I suspect an unwanted guest....hope this helps you. Now I have roses!!!😀

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@Dazlin wrote:
I had the same problem in another house I used to live in. Planted a garden of annuals and placed a little waterfall in the center. Next morning...chomp chomp chomp. I tried red pepper and spraying with some hot sauces...no help. Now I live in an agricultural area and own a small farm. Although the deer stay away from house, I've had critter problems in the barn or coops. The only thing that kept unwanted guests away has been mothballs, or even those toilet bowl deodorizers. The deer or animals won't eat them...it's the scent that deters them...and they stay away. Ive used oils, peppermint oil also. I'd say, it's worth a try. Sadly, I had to sell my chickens and ducks due to health problems ...still have my horses☺. I still place oils around my barn when I suspect an unwanted guest....hope this helps you. Now I have roses!!!😀

@Dazlin Deer love roses! They pruned all of mine recently when my electric gate would not close. It took my ten pound terrier to run them off, LOL, what a sight to see!

ptagirl · ‎07-12-2010

We previously lived in the U.P. of Michigan with woods all around us. We had a constant supply of deer, rabbits, bear, chipmunks, etc. I wasted a lot of money on plants for our landscape, I finally planted peonies, everblooming daylilies, coneflowers, daffodils, hydrangeas, and native ferns from the woods, . The deer seemed to leave them alone, but did love to eat the buds from my asiatic lilies. That was an expensive mistake.

To be able to start and grow veggies, I bought a 10x10 ft. greenhouse and put it in the backyard. That still didn't keep out the raccoons and chipmunks (they always found a way in), but I was able to get a couple nice crops of green peppers, tomatoes,green beans & snap beans.

To be able to keep the deer from destroying our trees, we fenced around them until they were pretty established, then we could remove the fences..I would've had to buy stock in the deer repellant industry...plus I didn't seem to think it worked that well anyway.

The bear, on the other hand, would just destroy anything they felt like destroying..no stopping them..I don't know how many bird feeders,etc. we went through...

It's frustrating, for sure, when the animals won't leave things alone...